Silently Broken
by MilkywayScribbles
Summary: Now working for a leading company in Viridian City, Jayce Ketchum tackles the everyday life of parenting with his wife Delia, as well as strengthening their marriage. However, on a trip to visit his aging grandmother accompanied by his six year-old son, Ash, Jayce finds himself caught in the middle of a predicament that could tear his family apart. Prequel to Everything Changes.
1. An Ordinary Day

**Silently Broken**

**Chapter One**

_An Ordinary Day_

Nothing could sooth him. Every sip of booze, every word blaring from the fuzzy outdated television set, every drop of rain that crashed against the Pokémon Center's roof... Some say the rain is one of the most tranquil sounds Mother Nature could offer... but it wasn't to this bleeding soul. It was haunting, chilling, agonizing... It was only a reminder of what took away the life he was accustomed to, loved so much. No. It was only... maddening.

Maybe at one time, the puddles and the rhythmic noise of water droplets were perceived as calming, romantic...

His love had a special gift of predicting when a storm was on the rise. She always said one could tell how close the bluster was approaching by which direction it was closing in and how far away the dark looming thunders clouds were, as well as the blinding strikes of light. She would know in mere minutes when it would reach their quarters. Too bad she couldn't see the storm that tore them apart coming.

* * *

The thudding of small quick footsteps ascended down the upstairs hall. Inside the master bedroom, Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum lay fast asleep; Delia's head and hand were strapped tenderly to her husband's bare chest, while one of his arms was stretched out, holding her in a gentle grasp as he snored softly. Their peaceful slumber however, did not last as long as they liked, due to their six-year-old son barging through the door and pouncing them awake, greeting his parents for the sunny day ahead.

"Mommy, Daddy! Wake up! Wake up!"

Jayce Ketchum rolled over on his stomach, his ruffled midnight black hair stuck out every which way. With his face submersed in his pillow, he released a low groan of exhaustion. Reacting in a different manner, his wife awoke with wide eyes, but soon relaxed with warmth as she watched her child bounce up and down excitedly.

With a subtle yawn, Delia spoke. "I'm up, honey. Just give Mommy a minute to get dressed." She arched her eyebrows in suspicion. "I'm guessing you want breakfast?"

"Hmhm!" Ash nodded as his bouncing ceased. Then he glanced over at his stiff father and nudge d him. "C'mon Daddy, wake up!" he ordered, though his shakes didn't move a single muscle within the man's body.

Jay simply moved his head to look off to the side, his blurry left eye peaking underneath his bangs in a half-awake glare. He adored how much Ash was willing to tackle the day and wished he could be exhilarated with the same kind of spunk, though his lack of sleep could not provide him with such energy.

Ash continued to pursue his efforts without a response and soon he realized his demands did no good, for Jay shoved his face further in the soft exterior mumbling something intelligible.

Delia produced a soft smile, shaking her head lightly. "Ash leave Daddy be," she commanded, sweeping him off the bed playfully, followed by her fingers softly tickling his stomach, erupting Ash in a fit of laughter. Delia then planted a soft kiss on his forehead. "He's not a morning person like us," she whispered loudly, intentionally wanting her spouse to hear every word as they exited the room.

Jay only returned his wife's sly comment with another moan. Groggily, he slipped into a light slumber, listening faintly to the murmured words of his wife instructing their son to go and make his bed. Then from there, Delia strutted back in their bedroom and finally noticed what time the clock read by her nightstand. She soon gasped and hurriedly shook her grouchy Ursaring of a husband awake. The gentle, but firm back rub was quite pleasant to his sore muscles, though the words Delia uttered made him resist all the more to depart from his warm blankets.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head," she said sweetly, patting his back before racing off to her closet to get dressed.

It was time to do the same old, same old.

After waking up with a few splashes of cold water on his face, Jay did his everyday ritual. From making the bed, to shaving the tiny bristles of hair that skimmed across his complexion, to getting dressed, and to diving in one of the drawers of the bathroom cabinet, pulling out a tube of toothpaste and his toothbrush from one of the colorful glasses Delia displayed by the sink.

His dreary eyes seemed to make a statement about his overall temper that morning as well as the slow movement of his hand slowly brushing his teeth. Going to work five times a week and on some days, taking extremely long night-shifts, plus an hour long -maybe two- drive home, left Jay wiped out. They needed the money, there was no doubt about that and he was very fortunate and grateful for his job, though sometimes he wished things could be simpler.

Working for _Element Endurance_ was never in the plan. Right before they got hitched, Jay was in the midst of finding a solid job to support their income, instead of earning minimum wage pay at the local grocery store. He had used all his funds his parents had saved originally for college and bought a house soon after he got his diploma, as well as paid for all the expenses on his motorcycle, and of course, Delia's engagement ring.

Plus, with the added pressure of finals and graduation, Jay was tempted to throw in the towel and wait a few months before purposing to his girlfriend. That however wouldn't do. Jay would have to get married and provide a stable income fast if he didn't want to be sent off to medical school and say goodbye to his sweetheart forever.

So he pushed through it all, struggling to keep his head above water, and right about when he thought he was going to drown, his longtime friend Chad Oak gave him a breath of air. He informed Jay about a job he earned with _Element Endurance_, an all organic Pokémon food company that was known for making various foods for all types, distributing throughout Kanto. At first, Jay thought the job Chad acquired was a shoe-in, not only because his buddy was working in the mail-room, but because their logo was on the borderline of overly commercialized. 'It's in it to win it!' _Literally_. What was in the food, was supposed to give Pokémon proper nutrients and offer them the stamina to withstand anything.

Jay couldn't help but chuckle at how ridiculous the whole thing sounded, till Chad convinced him to go down to the company on a visit, which ended up being one the best things that ever happened to him. He too started work in the mail-room and from the little time he spent down there, the young man managed to reorganize the entire mail system, and got everyone on track with shifts and all. The head-honcho of the company, Steve Hoke, was immensely impressed by the young man's business skills, offering Jay a position as a manager- a lower ranked manager- but still, it was something, and the pay increase was too good of a deal to turn down.

In mere months, Jayce felt like he was on top of the world. He and his wife had enough money to get by on essentials and start a family, but the every now and again payment they owed Delia's folks was not practical. It was time for a raise... and a vacation.

As Jay continued brushing away, Ash strayed in the bathroom and hopped on a Laparas shaped step-stool, bought just for him, and reached across the bathroom counter. From there, the boy eagerly crinkled the tube and slapped a thick wad of toothpaste on his Horsea decorated tooth-brush, scrubbing his mouth with large suds seeping from it, just like his old man.

Jay eyed him slightly and gave a small huff, a tiny grin buried beneath his toothbrush and the bubbles of paste. His little shadow sure admired him.

The swish back and forth movement along their teeth soon ended however, as they spotted Delia in the mirror above the sink, peaking through the door.

"Hey you two, breakfast is almost ready."

The word breakfast forced Ash to dive his head down towards the sink, spitting out the contents from his mouth. He then smeared off any remaining suds with the back of his hands and swiftly jumped off the stool. "Yay, breakfast!" he cried, exiting from the bathroom.

Jay remained staring at his reflection, wads of toothpaste still resting in his cheeks. It was also almost time for him to go to work.

The man eventually joined his family in the kitchen, though the constant fidgeting with his tie as he walked down the stairs slowed his pace. Delia however, was bustling along at a fast pace, placing a healthy serving of food in front of her child, as well as trying to munch on her own.

Clearing the counters and throwing some dishes in the dishwasher, she glanced back at her son nervously, watching him cut large slices of his breakfast. Besides the size he was dicing his pancakes into, the way Ash was holding his butter knife made her cringe too. "Ash, sweetie?" she called out, catching his attention before the food journeyed into his mouth. "Take small bites, okay? And please, be careful with the knife."

Ash nodded without a complaint, three chunks of the pancake stabbed in his fork. "Kay, Mommy."

Delia prolonged her stare, making sure he followed through with her orders, but before she could go back to what she was originally doing she fixated on Jay, who entered in the kitchen with the same sleepy glare on his face. Though now he had a wrinkled unfixed tie to accompany his sour expression.

"You look awfully tired," she observed, the heavy bags underneath his eyes startling her.

Usually he was up before anyone, showering if he hadn't the night before and attending to his own breakfast so Delia could get some rest. It was clear the pressure of both work and home were wearing on him.

Jay grunted in return, fussing with his tie again. "What else is new?"

Delia frowned, unable to watch him fight with the piece of cloth any longer. As she approached him, the man released his grip from the tie, letting her have the reigns and swiftly, she began to loop it through. Her eyebrows lowered in concern. "You going to be okay?"

Jay huffed. "As good as I'll ever be."

His wife sighed at his remark, straightening the tie and smoothing it out. "Try not to be so cranky at work."

Delia was also beginning to feel the fatigue her husband was enduring, and truly did not blame him for being so irritable. Still, they had to march on with a chipper disposition and have a tolerable day if they wanted to have clothes on their back and food on the table.

Jay's blue eyes lit up as he watched his wife's expression showcase the same feebleness and promptly, released a small smile of reassurance.

He hated to make her worry.

"I'll be fine, Delia."

Ever so tenderly, Jay planted a quick kiss on her lips and afterwards, accepted an apple she offered since he was moving too slow to be able to indulge in the mouth-watering pancakes she so kindly made.

Then without a second to spare, Ash's feet collided with the floor, abandoning his half-eaten meal in a rush. "Daddy, we have to go!" exclaimed the boy suddenly, struggling to zip his backpack with all the crammed school supplies tucked in so tightly.

The man quickly flashed down at his watch, thankful his son was keeping track of the time. "Shoot!" he whispered harshly underneath his breath, then looked up at his ready-to-go child. "I'm coming Ash." Making sure his keys and wallet were securely in his pant pocket, Jay looked back up at his wife and pressed his lips one more time on her cheek. "Bye Del, love you."

The feel of his lips against her skin made her smile grow. "Love you too."

Swinging his small backpack over his shoulder, Ash raced to the front door and proceeded to wave to his mom. "Bye, Mamma!"

Delia waved back and blew a kiss in his direction too. "Bye, sweetie!"

In most instances, she would of given him a bear hug and a peck on the forehead, but with Jay struggling to put his jacket on as well as him making sure e very document was safely tucked away in his briefcase, and Ash impatiently waiting for his father to start the motor of the truck, she wasn't going to delay their departure.

Once Jay had his jacket slipped on and closed his brief case shut with the assurance that everything was in order, Ash took hold of his dad's cuff, attempting to pull him out the door. His father however, paused, looking back at his wife as he adjusted his collar. "Hey, you're picking up Ash right?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I'll borrow Mom's car so there's no need to worry. Just work as long as you need to."

"Thanks, hon!" he replied with a wave as he turned the door knob with his other hand.

Watching the door creak open slowly, Ash took charge and bolted out first, dragging his father along. "C'mon, Daddy!"

"Have a good day, you two!"

With a tug, Jay almost lost his footing as Ash jerk ed him down the outside step. He knew how much his son loved school with all the arts and crafts, the scurrying around on the playground, and the many books read aloud, but Jay was not so anxious to reach his destination.

Delia giggled quietly as she watched Ash drag his dad out the door and to the truck, then she gave her head one final shake before attending to the messy plate and empty milk glass her son left behind. It wouldn't be too long before she would head off to work as well.

* * *

With Ash belted safely in the back of the truck, Jay swerved away from the house and out of Pallet altogether. Sharing a car was never in the plan either. Owning a second car was another unattainable luxury they wanted to fit in the budget, though they did make it work. On the days Delia took Ash to school, Jay would ride his motorcycle to work. He only wished now he thought about his seventeenth birthday present more thoroughly before asking for a one person ride, two if you were careful, than getting stuck with a used, rundown truck Delia's parents gave her. Then again, he wasn't thinking about marriage and kids when he decided.

The ride down was like any other, and as usual, once they arrived at the entrance of the Viridian Elementary school, Jay got Ash out of the jammed back seat, and took him to his classroom. The sound of screaming and laughing children filled the halls and classrooms, piercing Jay's ears as they drew closer to Ash's homeroom. He would never be so tolerant and patient to teach a large mass of boisterous kindergartners. _One_ rowdy, but loveable child was already a handful.

In the midst of their walk, Ash abruptly dug his feet in the floor, giving him a glance from Jay in return, wondering what the holdup was. Once he knew he caught his dad's attention, Ash pointed up at the bulletin resting on the wall in front of them, which had many scribbled and abstract drawings done by his classmates pinned up for all to see.

Jay's eyes lingered around the massive sea of crayon sketches, finally coming across Ash's for his name was printed in the upper right corner. Apparently, the child was satisfied with the picture's outcome to put his signature on it. Skimming through each and every picture helped a great deal, for Ash's little index finger could barely point out his drawing.

So after catching a glimpse of the poorly written name in blue crayon, the man took a closer look at the masterpiece, trying to recognize who or what his son drew. Seeing the boy was only six, his artistic skills weren't sharp which made it difficult for Jay to comprehend what Ash had exactly drawn. He had an idea in mind though.

Jay peered back down at him, his son's small hand still resting in his. "You made that?"

The boy nodded with a proud smile. "Hmhm."

His father gave another quick look at it, then back at him again. "Well it's very nice."

"It's you Daddy..." Ash's voice became faint as he muttered the last part. "... and me."

Jay could barely hear the words his son muttered between the cries of children and shuffling of feet running up and down the hall, though the illustration confirmed his suspicions, even if it was obscure. With his lips curving up slowly and a heartwarming sensation filling in his chest, Jay beamed down at his son again, only to be interrupted by a friendly voice.

"Good morning, Ash."

Ash swiveled his head to find his teacher, Ms. Town, crouched down slightly to meet his eyesight. Ms. Town was a fairly petite woman with long, extremely heavy, but curly black locks and had a rich shade of tan as her pigmentation. She was quite the instructor, being both nurturing as well as providing structure, leaving both Delia and Jay pleased with the woman's teaching techniques.

Ash was a naturally a social butterfly and the instructor's superb skills with children only furthered is growth, blossoming in class each day. He was having one of the best school years out of the few years he had attended. But as much fun as their child was having, Ash's parents were relieved the demand of driving back and forth was drawing to a close. Summer was right around the corner.

The boy's eyes brightened as he tore away from his father's grip, waddling towards her. "Hi, Ms. Town!" he replied cheerfully, his hands resting comfortably on the straps of his backpack.

Her warm smile broadened. "How are you this morning?"

"Good. I woke up Daddy this morning so he wouldn't be late for work!"

Ms. Town chuckled softly at Ash's little achievement, cocking her head to the side with an arch of an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well that's very sweet of you. Why don't you go ahead and put your backpack in your cubby?" she suggested, gesturing towards the classroom door, a little ways down the hall. "We'll start class shortly."

"Okay!"

The roars of lively voices grew dramatically as Ash set foot in the classroom, joining his peers in greets and giggles. The party that consisted of building blocks, the alphabet, and numbers had only gotten started.

Ms. Town watched him till he vanished through the entrance, and immediately rose to her feet. She smiled at Jay. "Hi, Mr. Ketchum."

"Hey, Ms. Town," he waved casually in return, then adjusted his throat. "Listen, my wife's supposed to pick Ash up today, but I don't know how late she'll be working, so could you make sure the little guy doesn't wander off too far? I'm sure she'll pick him up right on the dot, but I just don't want-"

"I will keep my eyes peeled," she reassured calmly.

The last thing Jay wanted was for Ash to tag along with one of his friends after school, and leave him and Delia in state of fear and worry. He could count on Ms. Town to keep him contained in the building till one of his guardians dropped by, and that she was a staff member of the school that the couple felt would keep their son safe and away from harm.

A smile of gratitude took over his face. "Thanks, I appreciate it."

It wasn't too long after their short conversation wrapped up that a dark-haired boy peaked around Ms. Town's door, and immediately, Jay was certain who the kid belonged too. He wasn't going anywhere just yet.

"Daddy, come look at the Butterfree I made!" Ash shouted happily and then speedily shot down the hall to pull Jay's arm, practically begging. "_Pleeease_, Daddy?"

Watching Ash's face glow with such brilliance made Jay's heart sink. As much as he preferred to let his son drag him all over the colorful classroom and present to him his scribble drawings and crafts, Jay needed to attended to his duties at work and bring home money for Ash to continue making those wonderfully vivid creations. He hated having to be the one to let him down.

Ash's dad knelt with a sigh. "Maybe later buddy. I've gotta go to work, but you have a good day." That part he emphasized. "Mommy will you pick you up."

Ash's lips dipped down into a cheerless frown as he heard his father's decline from the grand tour. The boy was still too young to fully grasp the burden of being a working parent, the constant battle of wanting to give a child one-on-one time and the commitment of living in the world of business.

Jay smashed Ash's hair with the palm of his hand, ruffling the already untamed strands. "I love you, squirt."

Giggles leaped from the boy's throat as his dad did so, the tender touch springing his expression back to life. Ash's rich brown eyes glistened up at his father, as Jay moved his hand away. "I love you too, Daddy."

Jay's smile gradually shrank as he continued firmly yet kindly, poking Ash playfully in the gut. "Be good to Ms. Town, and don't give her any trouble."

With his order came an affirmative nod, letting Jay rise back up without a struggle to pursue Ash to behave otherwise. The man threw out a wave in his son's direction as he began to stroll off , the boy now standing next to his clement teacher till his dad exited the building.

Surprisingly though, Jay swiftly maneuvered his upper body to the back, adding another act to brighten Ash's spirits. "And bring home another gold star too!" he winked.

His enthusiasm made Ash's little hand wave even more fervently, and the boy's overall reply brought relief to his father's ears. "I will! Bye!"

If Ash had to stay cooped up in a classroom and learn basic math and readings skills till mid-afternoon, then Jay could withstand a full day of work. It wasn't fair that Ash had playtime, but then again, when was the world ever fair?

* * *

The company's building was rather large compared to most, and the view from Jay's office was quite spectacular, giving him a glimpse of the bustling city of Viridian. Though it was nothing like waking up in Pallet and seeing rolling hills and never-ending country side. He was glad neither he no r Delia made their home in such a place where the idea of their possible youngsters drawing with chalk and riding bikes on the street next to speeding cars would occur.

It was however, a great city when it came to having a steady job. Overall, Jay was contented with his partnership in the company, and couldn't be more proud than to be working in such an establishment where they highly valued the concept of providing Pokémon with proper nutrition. He himself had bought the brand for his own Pokémon, and they were satisfied with the product as much as he was. Yep, as stressful as work was, Jayce Ketchum couldn't ask for a better life. After all, he and Delia could have been off a lot worse.

Keeping that all in mind made going to work a little less aggravating.

Traveling down one of the many halls that consisted of phones ringing and people scurrying, Jay was bombarded with many good mornings.

"Hey, Jay."

"Hey, Rob."

Then another one.

"Good morning, Jay."

"Morning, Chelsea."

He was courteous to every individual who passed him by, even those select few who gave him grief on a daily basis. One in particular however gave him the sort of grief only family or close friends could look over.

Inching closer and closer to the elevator down the long busy hallway, Jay was brought to halt by none another than that specific worker. This person managed to slip the corner of Jay's eye, not giving him a chance to properly prepare for the words that were about to spill out of the worker's mouth. It truly sent a jolt up his spine. And not a good one. He was in no mood for childishness.

"Well would you look at that?" the familiar voice said. "It's the man of the hour! How you doing Jay, my amigo?"

It wasn't even lunch yet and he already ran into him. Leaning against a wall stood Chad Oak with a silly grin, his hands shoved deep in his trouser pockets. Stopping the middle of the hall Jay rolled his eyes. It was bad enough being his friend since childhood, but to also be his brother-in-law was another. It baffled him to no end how his sister, so into the latest fashion and trends, could see something in a guy who pretended to be on the football team and took delight in the timeless snack of potato-chips and the arcade graphics of PAC-Man.

Jay kept on walking without giving him a single glance. "I'm not ready to listen to your horrible Spanish so early in the morning."

"Dude, Spanish wasn't my forte in high school." His friend followed, only a few steps behind the tired man. "I would have been _such_ a natural at French. Ya know," he elbowed him lightheartedly with a smirk, "swooning the women?"

Jay finally cocked an eye at Chad, stopping in his tracks. "How about you try swooning women in a language you already know?"

He didn't understand why he bothered making Chad see reason or give him any kind of advice whatsoever. His friend had always been a jokester, a carefree sort of soul. He was never much of a diligent worker in his teenage years and even up through young adulthood, the guy still tended to mess around. One would think being the only son of the infamous Prof. Oak would make him wise, influential, book-smart, diverse. Nope. Chad was just an average Joe with a high school diploma, working two jobs to keep the income flowing.

But even with his silly antics and his caveman talk of women, the guy had a good heart deep down. He was never mean nor conniving, knew when to draw the line eventually, and because of that, Jay was able to look past his behavior and see the true friend that lay beneath all that newly formed tub. And if Jay was as good of a friend as he, he probably should get around to telling him how his sturdy stature was getting a little out of shape before it got way out of hand. It was a helpful reminder to bring up the occasional jog they should instill every Saturday or so.

However there was a roadblock. Chad's immaturity always prevented their friendship to grow, and at times, seeing eye-to-eye was almost impossible. They had different values; they were brought up in two completely opposite households. Jay had a lot of structure when he was a child, a bit overbearing at times, while Chad's was too relaxed, for his father was focused solely on his research and unintentionally forgot to provide the needs for his child.

Chad was just the product of a child deprived of attention.

The brunette-haired man's mouth fell open with an ingenuous comeback, though it soon closed as he and Jay's gazes fell upon three people who strutted past them.

They appeared to be a bit overwhelmed.

"What are our current stats?"

"We're about sixty percent done with Project-"

"Monica, this is the third time I've asked you to get this done," the man said (who appeared to be in charge of the operation), his patience wearing thin. He looked like he had received a peaceful slumber compared to Monica, and his energy to nag and direct orders were another dead giveaway. "It's not just going to magically happen overnight, so you gotta work for it. It's already taken our team over a month to settle on the damn flavor. Now, I'm counting on you to get the label and send it off."

She returned his lashing with a nod and a roll of her eyes soon followed as she stormed towards the elevator, leaving the two men behind. Chad and Jay's gaze watched her tread on till they heard the main man pipe up again, this time to a younger gentleman with glasses standing beside him.

"Remind me to talk to Steve about firing her, this afternoon?"

The younger man nodded as they resumed their strides. "Of course, sir."

It wasn't even lunch yet and drama was already starting to brew. The man behind the production however, was not surprising.

"Geez," snorted Chad, still watching the men as they moved further away, "looks like someone's being a tyrant as usual."

"Yeah well, you know Brad," Jay reminded. "The moment he hears about a promotion, he starts to sacrifice any employees that might be competition. And of course his habit of blaming the world for his bad time management. "

That rumor had circulated around the company building for weeks on end. When Jay first came to the company, he was one of the many who got eager over the possibility of earning some extra cash. Though now with knowledge of what the world of business was really like, he didn't hold his breath. Too many let downs.

He looked back at the dark-haired man with an answer to Brad's delirium, as if he could read him with one look into his eyes. "I think he just needs to get laid."

His friend was disgusted with the comment.

With his eyes looking back down the hall, Jay caught glimpse of Brad himself, giving a quick pat on the behind to one of the women lingering by slowly, and her faint giggles provided him with the correct answer.

Jay shuddered silently to himself in repulsion as he looked back at Chad, filling him in on the dirt discreetly. All he could think of though, was how he wished people had the decency to keep that kind of behavior at home. And leave it there.

"I'm sure he already gets that enough."

A look of confusion took over his face for he was curious to know how Jay arrived at such a claim. Though before Chad dared to ask him to give the details, a bald clean-shaved man approached them, all decked out in a nicely tailored suit with bright eyes and a subtle smile.

It was the big man himself. Steve Hoke, the head executive of _Elemental Endurance_ and the one man no one dared to step in dangerous waters with. If one wanted to work his or her way up the pyramid and stay on the man's good side, then they'd have to do everything and anything in their power to prove they were cut out for the job. Prove they were an honored worker of the establishment. Even though Steve had the trait of being absent minded, it was wise to not mess with him. After all, he determined whether one could afford basic groceries.

"Ah Jayce, good morning... and uh... who are you again?"

His pause and continual befuddled stare at Chad left him equally as lost. He couldn't believe it. After all those years, the man still couldn't put a name with the face.

"Chad," he blinked, waiting for Steve to make an indication of knowing who he was. "Chad Oak?"

Sadly, all he got was the same blank stare, so, he pursued. "You hired me when I was eighteen to work in the mail-room which I am still doing, and I was the one who brought in my good buddy Jay, who miraculously ended up being one of the youngest managers of this fine establishment in mere months."

There was another pause and a large lump rested in Chad's throat. It slid down gradually with disappointment though.

"... Still don't remember," Steve admitted, his expression not changing. Chad lowered his eyebrows in a slight glare and the pat on the shoulder his boss gave didn't seem to lighten his furrowed eyes much. "Sorry pal, though I suppose I can thank you for bringing in this stupendous businessman."

Even with that kind of recognition, Chad was sure he'd forget him again in the next few minutes.

Jay smiled bashfully at the man's kind words. "I don't know about that, sir."

"Oh don't be so modest, you're an excellent manager! You've got a lot going for you, kid." Turning on his heels, he glanced back over at the two men. "Give my best regards to the wife and son will ya?"

Seeing he had no clue who Chad was, it was obvious who he was referring to.

Jay nodded demurely. "Of course."

"If I don't see you two later, have a good day gentlemen."

Chad tightened his fists and puffed his cheeks as their boss strolled away without a care in the world. Jay could see the tension in the man's face, catching sight of him cursing Steve through his hardening green eyes.

He knew what was coming. "Let it go," Jay commanded, taking flight once more.

"How can, I?!" Chad exploded, baffled how easily Jay was able to shrug it off. If only_ he_ knew what it felt like to be forgotten about. Steve wasn't the first to forget Chad's existence. "He doesn't even remember me!"

Their boss was a busy man and it wasn't likely he took the time to memorize everyone's name the building. Especially anyone who admitted they worked in the mail-room. Shooting letters down their proper slots wasn't exactly mind-boggling work, and unlike Jay, Chad was much lower on the payroll. He wasn't one of the top men, that Steve had to remember. If anything, Jay was just another name the executive had to keep installed without looking like an utter moron.

Jay was looking at it from a completely different perspective. Not some childhood recollection of abandonment he carried over the years like his unfortunate friend.

"And this shocks you because?"

"Because I brought you in!" Chad pointed at his chest. He believed he deserved some kind acknowledgement. Then again, would he so pathetically plea to be noticed for bringing Jay along if he turned out to be just as low of a businessman as he? If anything, Chad would point the finger at a stranger for letting Jay join. "Without _me_, this company would probably be in the toilet and you would still be working at Greta's store!"

Working at Greta's store in Pallet was more of a side job to earn extra cash in high school. It was never a career Jay planned on sticking with.

The man shook his head. No- he wouldn't have kept his boring and easily attainable job of restocking shelves and ringing the register. "I don't think either of those things would have happened."

Chad suddenly clasped his hand on Jay's shoulder, slowing their pace down to a halt. Demanding for his attention his expression turned stern, one he never cared to wear himself. The prankster Jay was accustomed to was fading, and his rant wasn't like the many before. For once, Chad Oak had something to say. Something that mattered.

"Admit it man, you're one of the few guys here who holds this place together! I mean, you helped think of new ways to make our products more exciting, more marketable. People are just starting to want organic food and you actually make it sound appealing."

Chad did acknowledge a valuable strength in the company. Jay had spent plenty of hours in making a well-rounded and cooperative team, brainstorming many ways in improving products both with labels and the actual quality and taste. He wasn't bashful about admitting all the blood, sweat, and tears he had put into his job, but gloating about it and taking all the credit was something he couldn't do. There were other factors Chad was overlooking.

"I worked in a team, Chad," Jay clarified sharply, moving his hands off his shoulder. "It isn't just all me."

He wasn't through, there were a couple of details Jay managed to leave out and with a jab of his finger against the man's chest, Chad reminded him of those details. "Yeah, but _you_ call the shots. _You_ tell the people in marketing what to do."

"I oversee the operation. That's it."

"Yeah well, it's too bad you aren't overseeing big projects," Chad said, folding his arms. "Brad's in charge of that new launch of food specifically for fire types. You'd nail that sale since you _have_ a fire type and _know_ what she likes."

It was frustrating. Everyone had to be tough and assertive to last in the company and make a stand if they didn't want to dwell at the bottom of the food chain. Chad was just looking out for his old pal, and since he cared, he hated to see him settle with some lame, minuet deal and watch overly competitive bastards like Brad be bold, take risks, and go to great lengths to make himself noticeable. To get his name on anything big.

But what infuriated him the most, was the fact that the guy didn't have a clue what he was doing half of the time and instead took credit for ideas his teammates thought of. He was aware of Jay's natural knack at business that had been passed down to him through his father, and found it idiotic for him to not be handling major operations. Operations like Project F.

"That's how the world works, Chad," Jay stated dryly. "The idiots rule the world of business and the workers are the ones that make the world itself, turn. Think of it this way," he said, making light of the situation. "Without us, they'd be nothing."

"Funny you say that." He was startled he got a chuckle out of his frustrated friend. "In our case, I don't think Brad will be the ruler for too much longer. Word is, Steve's getting pretty fed up with him."

Jay arched a brow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Rumor has it, the guy tried applying for his position. How do you even do that?"

He didn't have the time of day to figure out what made Brad the manager tick nor cared to get in the psyche of that money-mooching cavalier businessman. He had his own job to worry about.

The man shrugged with a heavy sigh. "I dunno, but I've gotta get going. Grace's probably waiting, and you know what she does when she gets bored."

"Goes on the stapler spree, I know. Damn, why does she always gotta refill those staplers?" Chad started to walk off to his own position, mumbling underneath his breath, his hands shoved back in his pockets again. "She's so annoying..."

Jay's secretary wasn't the only one who was annoying.

* * *

Surprisingly, Grace was nowhere in sight. Not on the elevator or in the hall.

Their office door was stationed on one of the upper levels, in the middle of a string of many other manager offices. Bounding out of the elevator, Jay came to the conclusion that she was off bothering one of the other managers, maybe refilling those staplers like Chad suggested. As he scampered down the hall though, he didn't pick up a trace of her distinct voice and was what even more disturbing, the door to their office was locked.

Jay reached in his pocket and produced his many keys, selecting the gold vital one that could help uncover the strange happening. As he slowly pushed the door open, the lights in the room were off too. Jay frowned as he blindingly stretched his arm off to the side, flicking on many sets of switches. The instant they flickered on, Jay shut the door and peered at his lifeless surrounding.

He was a little irritated Grace was late, considering he preferred to get his schedule the second he stepped foot in the office and lay out a plan with her as to how to tackle the day with great strides, but seeing that was not the case, he had to wait ideally by. And impatiently.

Maybe she was stuck in traffic, after all she lived in Viridian and he usually overheard her complain about how the side of town she inhabited had so many hustling cars, one couldn't use the sidewalk if they dared.

If Grace didn't show up in the next half hour he'd give her a call, and if that didn't work, he'd report to Mr. Hoke himself. Jay figured she'd show up though, in due-time that is.

After stripping off his jacket and settling in his workspace, fifteen minutes had passed, fifteen very quiet minutes, and soon he heard the door prop open.

There was no need to call the cops now. Not that Jay was that worried to begin with.

He could feel the rumble of her footsteps approach his desk, his eyes not lifting from the manila folder he was busy skimming through. Then the treading ceased. A shadow overcast him.

"Coffee, Mr. Ketchum?"

Jay shifted his eyes up and raised an eyebrow. His secretary stood before him with a hot to-go cup of coffee in one hand, and the other carried a small stack of papers. The woman was old enough to be his mother, plump and stout she was, her dark brown hair reached her mid neck, with full heavy bangs gracing her forehead. She also wore a white blouse underneath a pink button-up sweater as well as a blue pencil skirt for her bottoms.

Stricken with shock to discover why his secretary was late, Jay took it upon himself to investigate what forced her to make a stop at the one place she detested going to. Something was out of character.

"That's funny," Jay started, sitting up in his chair, folding his hands on the oak desk, "usually I have to remind you about bringing your boss a nice hot beverage in the morning."

Grace shrugged innocently, bearing a sheepish grin. "Guess today was a good day for me."

The smile she bared hinted a slight of mischievousness and Jay could see through it the second she walked in. So he cut to the chase. "Grace, what's up? I know you tend to not pick up my double mocha cappuccino because you're too lazy to stop at my favorite coffee shop, and you think the guy at the counter is a snob, so please inform me what has changed your tune?"

She giddily tightened her lips shut for a moment, then released the wonderful news in a blissful tone. "My husband remembered our anniversary."

"Isn't that sweet?" he sneered.

"One week late, but at least that's something!"

Grace was sure over the moon, and Jay's sarcasm as usual was dismissed. He could honestly care less to hear about her deadbeat of a husband, taking into account the man had to also endure her jabber and deprecate daily about his inconsistency to please her. On the rare occasions he did fall through with his duties as a devoted husband, Jay wasn't much willing to listen to them either. To him it was all inanity Grace had to come to grips with.

"I'd say so," he replied balancing a pen in his hand, then slapped it on his desk with a deep exhale. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"There's a meeting in less than thirty minutes-"

Even with her running behind, Grace did manage to collect their daily report, yet the update was not as thrilling as she made them sound.

"Oh, what a great way to start the morning!" Jay declared, rambling on sarcastically. "All of us crammed together in a room that has poor air conditioning!"

Grace picked up in his manners as well. "Bad start this morning?"

Jay finally accepted the hot brewed cup of coffee as she handed it with care, silently informing him of its hot touch. "No," he responded, his expression turning dreary again. "Just the fatigue of doing the same routine every day. Thanks." When his lips met the edge of the cup, the warm steamy liquid seeped down his throat and the taste it left in his mouth hardly had any imperfections. "Hmmm…" He swallowed, "the coffee's not that bad."

"I have experienced the same feeling, but after working here so long it starts to wear off," the woman stated, referring to the enervation her boss was feeling.

His eyebrows arched in curiosity. Finally, something she uttered was worthwhile. "Does it?"

"Oh, yes!" her eyes suddenly darted around; as if others could see them through the dinky window in the front and overhear their conversation, having her lower her voice to a loud whisper. "Sometimes, I like to snag some 'me time' and use my sick days as trips to get my toes done."

Jay grew a facetious grin after another sip. "You are one wild woman, Grace."

"Well, I enjoy living on the edge of my seat now and then." Her lips were pursed as she contained soft chuckles, a hint of crimson glowing from her cheeks as well.

The man played along nonchalantly. "Uh-huh. I'm just gonna drink my coffee before the meeting."

Realizing how fast the time was flying by, Grace needed a few moments too. Attending those meetings weren't her cup of tea either. "Oh, sorry! Drink away, but not too much!" the woman snickered with a wave of her finger as she ventured over to her desk.

If only Jay could have a few sips of liquor before attending the impending monotonous meeting.

The man simply joined in on the jokingly banter, sardonically. "Ha ha, right!" he rolled his eyes with a huff once her back was turned.

They had such different senses of humor.

* * *

"Rates are low people. There's a problem. A big problem that- I don't mean to point fingers but, Brad has neglected to correct."

"_Me_?"

"Yes you, and tuck in your shirt, where's your pride?"

This meeting was unlike any other. Steve was baked in a sticky sweat, the words " rates" and "low" put together never occurred, and the mention of someone needing to tuck their shirt in was very concerning. Clearly, something smelled rotten in _Element Endurance_.

Jay and Grace were seated towards the head of the long filled table in the conference room, pressing their back against black leather chairs. Though they weren't nearly as comfortable as the one Steve possessed. They watched their boss rise from his seat, throwing his hands about, pointing at a diagram with high and low points scattered across it. Rates had gone down, everyone _knew_ that, and the anticipating dismay of them hitting rock bottom was spreading throughout the room.

All thanks to a hotheaded manager.

Brad behaved as if his demise was an unforeseen act. That he was not the person to be held responsible for not launching the new line of food for fire type Pokémon sooner. Other brands already put one out for that specific type, and since they carried additional kinds, varieties for all, more and more customers were switching over to new companies entirely. They were slowly losing in all products. The anti-byproducts gimmick wasn't going to hold on its own.

Grace watched Brad with suspicion as he looked down at the bottom of his shirt. It did need to be tucked in.

From there, she leaned over to Jay without attracting any eyes, whispering faintly between her teeth, "obviously he's seeing Caren from marketing."

"Please do not push further on the subject with vulgarities," Jay replied as quietly, his eyes not shifting away from Steve. "My stomach's already churning."

Not to mention, he already knew of Brad's public affairs.

Grace winced a little, afraid she had been the cause of his discomfort. She knew that snooty guy at the front counter couldn't make a proper drink. He was too busy checking his 'perfect' hair in the reflection of the pastry glass. "Is it the coffee?"

Jay shook his head and exhaled heavily. He wanted to go home.

Brad's eyes had widened a great deal as he stepped into defense mode. He was not taking the fall for this. "It is not completely my fault!"

Steve crinkled his forehead. He didn't buy it for one second. "Oh, how so? Enlighten me please, because the numbers tell otherwise!" he bellowed, his voice booming twice as loud as he pointed at the chart once more. "Celadon is crushing us with their byproducts and corn-gluten, Brad! We need that new line out now! You were supposed to have this project wrapped up a month ago and sent down for testing!"

"I have people working under me!" Brad reminded, equally as passionately. "They should be held accountable too! I can't watch them twenty-four-seven like I'm their babysitter!"

Grace was appalled. For as long as she worked with _Element Endurance_, she had never seen such idiocy displayed before her.

With their bantering continuing like a married couple in counseling, she veered over to Jay again. She couldn't defy the urge to speak. "It's absolutely ludicrous how he passes the blame on to his team. He is supposed to support them, show them the ropes."

"Yes well, this is the same man who has gone through five assistants in the past three months because he fears he is being deemed impertinent compared to them." Jay kept his gaze on the charts, studying them as he responded to Grace's side comments. There was a solution he spotted within those low dots. Things could be fixed. "And besides the rates aren't dramatically low, it's an easy fix-"

"Jayce?"

The man silenced his lips and straightened his posture. Jay sent a gulp down his throat as his boss eyed him, the worry of he and Grace's little commentary being overhead frightened him. "Y-yes sir?" he stuttered.

"I want you to take over this operation."

Jay was dumbfounded. But he wasn't the only one.

Brad was not only half the man Jay was, but also half the worker. Sure Jay had only been working there for six years, however, they were six years he dedicated himself to with every fiber of his being. The lesser amount of experience made him a better worker, a more serious and tactful manager. There was no time for messing around, not when people needed the income as much as he did, and not when he had a family to support, and how about those hungry Pokémon who just want a tasty meal?

Brad thought he got a free ride just because he had been there longer. Thought he could slow down and take a breath. Thought he could make date plans with some of his fellow workers. The word " unprofessional" crossed everyone's mind.

"What?!" Brad sputtered, trying to find some justification as to why he shouldn't lose the projects at some hands of a newbie. "B-but he hasn't worked here or been a manager for as long as I have! H-he's never been fully responsible of such a big task and-"

"Brad another word out of you, and Monica will have your position." Steve threatened, dismissing all his claims. He then turned back to Jay who was still stunned. "Now, like you said yourself Jayce this is an easy but delicate fix, and that's why I want it in your hands. You can get those rates back up. I've seen you do it before."

What was he supposed to say? If Steve wanted him to take over then he should accept the project with grace and honor. Not just anyone caught hold of something this big; it was something they had never tried before, and because of that, Jay was a little apprehensive of taking it on. And it slipped from his mouth. "But I wasn't in charge of the main operation, sir-"

"See? See?!" the desperate man rose from his chair and pointed at Jay like a maniac. Like his comments were backed up. "He's unsure if he's capable of handling the demand-"

"Now hold on buddy," Jay hissed, getting a little ticked off. Denying the request to Steve was one thing, but he didn't care to listen to a fellow worker, who hardly knew of his efforts, judge him on slight trepidation. "I never said I couldn't handle it-"

The outbursts made Steve snap. There were no more excuses, no more screwing around and wasting valuable time. Literally. "That's it!" the executive shouted, mustering all the anger he possessed onto the reluctant worker. "Brad, you're fired! Get out! You're the reason we're in this dilemma and I don't want to see you on the company's ground ever again! It's all just because you couldn't keep your weedle away from marketing!"

Predictable gasps leaped from everyone's throat. At least one rumor was confirmed. Though none thought it'd be validated so vulgarly through Steve Hoke himself.

Grace flew her head towards the ceiling, her eyes widening with great immense, the breath out of her lungs being sucked away after hearing those tainted words. "Oh my goodness," she mumbled in shock, "Jesus repent his soul."

Jay threw a strange glance at the woman. Her response was as if she just heard the dreadful news of someone committing adultery, or a robbery, or accidentally hitting a Ratatta on the road. Revealing the repugnant secret of two people exchanging in sexual affairs wasn't exactly startling. It was however, distasteful, and a part of Jay understood his secretary's extreme behavior. Still, she was taking it a bit too far.

Brad blushed madly at his ex-boss's blow, gaining several looks from the people around. He could feel their mixed feelings on the matter pierce his skin, as if they were stinging him with their disapproval. Trying to avoid their tense gaze led him to fall upon his lover herself, who immediately averted from his eyes. Even she was turning her back on him. With such fury and hate building up inside the cocky man, Brad ultimately decided he wasn't going to take the blame for it all. He didn't want to own up to it.

"You wanna see me gone?" he asked as he rose from his seat, his nostrils flaring wildly. "Fine! Fine, but you'll be sorry! You'll _all_ be sorry!"

Steve kept his ground as he watched the fired worker lose his marbles, staying composed as he gestured towards the door. It was time for Brad to go. "I highly doubt that. Now there's the door."

"I can show myself out," he spat, shoving his crinkled papers in his brief case, "you senseless Infernape of a boss!"

More gasps filled the air and soon everyone was erupting in side conversations.

Now feeling as if she had permission, Grace spoke up again. "Actually, they're supposed to be quite intelligent. I read that in _Sinnoh Geographic_."

Jay ignored her this time.

With his hand clenched tightly to his briefcase, Brad swiveled around and glowered at his lover, letting everyone know just who exactly kept him off task. Again, he couldn't denounce his severe habit of passing blame. "And by the way Caren, I want my handkerchief back!" Not giving anyone a second to react to that comment, the berserk man suddenly loomed over silent Monica, throwing a mordant remark right in her face. "Hope you enjoy your new promotion, Monica! Ya _really_ deserve it!"

"Goodbye, Brad," Steve stated, no longer being able to watch the harassment.

Brad took his frustration out on the door, swinging it open with a bang as he stormed out of the large conference room. Everyone turned in their seats to watch him stomp out, hearing him mutter curse words down the hall.

Grace adjusted herself in her chair and started in again once her view of Brad was gone. "That man is a lunatic, and that scandal of his was going to reveal itself sooner or later. Did he think he wasn't noticed making continual trips in the supply closet? I caught the two together on my bathroom break several times, or when I had to go use someone's pencil sharpener."

Jay just shook his head. He didn't want to think about it. "This place should be shut down and fumigated."

A puff of air blew out of Steve's lips as he let his palms rest on the table, looking as bewildered as all of his workers. "Glad that's over with. Right? Everyone's happy to see Brad gone?"

They all exchanged looks with one another, shrugging and giving simple responses.

"Sure."

"Yeah."

What were they supposed to say?

"Well I am," the executive announced. "The guy was even trying to take my position- uh anyway," he stopped himself, clearing his throat. He needed to get a hold of his emotions too. "Back to business. Jayce, I would feel most comfortable if this be dealt with in your hands. You have proven yourself to be a hard and tactful worker, and I would only expect progress out of you."

Hearing the executive of _Element Endurance_ praise you in front your peers surely made Jay look like the shining star. It was ironic he'd be getting Project F in his control considering his own knowledge on fire Pokémon, as well as Chad's rant earlier that morning. It was very unexpected and yes, Jay felt proud to be nominated to take on the project, but the pressure itself was a little nerve-wracking.

Steve continued, and the last bit was the biggest shock of all. "Also I want the final results in two weeks, so we can get it on the market right away. As you know, Brad and his team did make some progress, but not enough. It is up to you, Jayce, to get this new product, dare I say, fired up. Can I get your word on that?"

Could he get his word on that? Of course he could! Jay would bust his ass to get the product out on the market. Was it another strain he needed? No, but he took it anyway without contemplating for a second.

"Of course, sir." He bit down hard on his tongue._ I didn't just seriously agree did I? God, this is gonna be a strain! But do I have a choice?_

"Then it's settled," his boss concluded, his expression lightning as if weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "You will take over Project F, and Grace will collect various workers in the building who you deem as suitable for assistance."

Grace promptly nodded as her pen swiveled away, jotting down notes. "I will get on it straight away sir."

As different as the two were from each other, they made a killer combo in getting the job done, not to mention correctly, and Steve was certain he could count on the pair to be finished in two weeks. It was a stretch, but they had always come through with all the other projects. Though none seemed as extreme as this one. This time, they had a mess to clean up before they could even get started.

It seemed a small smile of relief grew from Steve's lips as he slapped his hands against his side. Even with its ugly performance, at the least the matter was taken care of and could move forward. And Steve was satisfied. "Until then, meeting adjured!"

* * *

Jay and Grace were caught in a flood of people. The jabbering had not ceased the moment everyone stepped out of the conference room. There was talk of Brad and his acts, Caren being swarm with nosy coworkers on the means of their relationship, how Jay would be able to handle such a large task in so little time, and now, a new rumor blossomed. Jay needed to get away from it all if he wanted to properly wrap his mind around what just went down.

After excusing himself nearly a hundred times and pushing past people carefully, Jay managed to free himself from the overwhelming crowd and strutted towards the elevator before it was taken. He could hear Grace interject a sound of happiness and soon he picked up the faint shuffle of her feet. Someone must have told her something and Jay would have to hear it.

"Can you believe we did it?" she asked in a low whisper, finally keeping up with her boss's pace. "Do you know what this means?"

"_We_?" Jay repeated, addled. "What do you mean _we_? Neither one of us approached Steve about the project. And did you hear the timeframe? _Two weeks_? That's serious crunch time-"

Grace scoffed. "Oh, none of that matters now!" she looked behind her shoulder quickly then back at him, her smile intensifying. "I just got the scoop on the rumored promotion, and the catch of the day is true!"

It was like a junior high girl getting excited over a break up between a girl she despised and boy she had her eye on since the sixth grade.

Jay exhaled a heavy breath, not partaking in the secretary's foolish exuberance. "Yes, and so are all the other hundred rumors that circulate around here. Like poisonous gas." The last part he grumbled was in unison with the pressure his finger put forth on one of the buttons of the elevator, sending them back down to their floor.

As the doors closed Grace persisted, no longer speaking in a whisper. But Jay kept his gaze on the flashing changing numbers the elevator produced. "But this one's true, I'm certain of it! The word on the block is that Steve planned on firing Brad all along, and that who he chose would get the promotion if the project was successful!"

For once, it was intriguing news. With his mouth tightly shut, Jay reflected and soon shot his blue eyes up at Grace who eagerly waited for a response. He had never seen her so tickled pink over a rumor before. The possibility of it being legitimate was starting to make him tingle too.

"Wait." He pondered briefly. "You're telling me if I do everything according to plan, _I'll_ get the promotion?"

"Bingo!" she exclaimed merrily. "And this benefits me because if your pay increases-"

"So will yours, but it won't be a huge difference for you."

"I know that, but think Jayce! You and Delia will have more money! You could give Ash more opportunities!"

Hearing it sounded twice as nice as just imagining it. There was the small chance that this convoluted rumor was true and Jay would certainly take advantage of it and use the money wisely for his family. He and Delia always talked about going on vacation more during the summer, letting Ash see different towns, different sites, different Pokémon, giving him insight on various cultures. And they too would actually like to go on a honeymoon since when they originally got married that desirable vacation never occurred. It wasn't in the budget. But now it could be. Now they could have a romantic getaway, now they would be able to give Ash a real summer trip he could share with his friends, give them a real break from their everyday lives.

Also the couple could put it towards a new car that didn't need repairs every so often or buy a new lawn mower, or have the materials to extend Delia's beautiful garden. The possibilities were endless. But the money wasn't, and the likelihood of him actually getting the promotion was slim. But couldn't the guy dream?

Jay removed his gaze from the bright numbers and focused his attention on his gleeful secretary. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to think?

He sighed. "I see where you're going with this Grace and you make an excellent point, but I just..." There was always the fear of a letdown. "I just don't want to get my hopes up."

"But you can!" she consoled. "You know as well as I do that Steve doesn't fire anyone on the spot like that. He must have not wanted Brad to get that promotion. Pardon my language," she said, bracing Jay, "but as cooky as Steve can be-"

"Wow Grace," he interrupted sarcastically, "that's a fowl mouth ya got there-"

"I was putting it delicately," she clarified, believing his jab to be serious. "He sees something in you, Jayce. Just think about it."

Not a moment later did the elevator ding and the doors swung open. Grace proceeded to give him another 'trust me' look before strutting off back to the office. Jay however, still stood within the elevator walls, his breathing growing heavy.

Jay scoffed, shaking his rattled head. _Whatever that is, I'll never understand..._

He wasn't mister big shot, he wasn't some hero. He just wanted to earn a couple extra bucks to make life easier. He didn't comprehend why everyone saw such potential in him. He just... wanted things to be simple.

Shooting his head back up, Jay realized he better make his escape out of the elevator before the doors closed on him. If he didn't get out in time, he would hate the alternative of fighting with those damns buttons. Half of the time, they sent him to wrong floor.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So... what do you guys think? Was it what you were expecting for the prequel?

I know the first chapter isn't that lively, but trust me, the action will come in sooner than later. It's just going to take a little time to describe everything that's going on before things start to really unravel. Plus, you'll be seeing some familiar faces!

I should have probably put this disclaimer at the top, but I do not like to put my notes and such up there, so I will list it below.

**Disclaimer**: Rated T for adult situation, language, mild violence, and mild sexual content (nothing grotesque hence: _mild_)_.  
_Oh, and I don't own Pokémon. If only I did! LOL.

Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying it (or are at least intrigued) and be on the lookout for more! Thanks for reading and as always, reviews are appreciated. :)


	2. The Invitation

**Silently Broken**

**Chapter Two**

_The Invitation_

The ringing of the school-bell announced the release of many hyper children ready for the weekend. Each classroom door shot open with a bang and soon all the kids poured out of the rooms in a rush like a flood of dangerous water.

All except one.

Delia was engulfed in the sea of the enthusiastic little ones, watching her step as she climbed the stairs to the front entrance of the school. Usually, she had to spot Ash out of the lively bunch and once their eyes met, her son attached himself to her leg with cries of ardency. He was unstoppable when it came to raving about his glorious day of coloring and mastering subtraction and addition.

However, Ash didn't do his sneak attack of clinging to her like a baby Teddiursa to its mother.

At first, Delia assumed he was fussing with the zipper on his backpack, or trying to haul home a giant arts and crafts project he so proudly made with the strength of his two little arms. So she went forth and ventured into Ms. Town's now messy classroom, with crayons and colored construction paper in many pieces strewn on the tables and floor, as well as mini blue chairs that had not been properly pushed in like instructed. With the remnants of the chaos clouding the room, Delia could only imagine how relieved the kindergarten teacher was to know it was Friday.

With her just standing there, she almost felt the motivation to spruce up the place for the burnt-out instructor!

Locating her son, though, was a much more dire matter. Taking a few steps further in the classroom, Delia finally spotted Ash removing his backpack from his cubby, his back was facing her .

She smiled at him as she bent her knees, calling for his attention. "Hey sweetie, ready to go?"

Her sweet gentle voice in most instances would brighten any sour expression he felt inclined to wear. At first, she thought by his head hanging low and the rubbing of his eyes, that he was simply tired. That is, till he tilted his head, and Delia caught the gaze of Ash's flushed cheeks, watery eyes, and quivering lip.

He looked as if one of Jay's Pokémon fell ill or one of his grandparents passed on. In a child's mind, Ash's dilemma was the equivalent of that.

Panic rose to her head. "Ash, what's wrong?"

The boy released a few sniffles before speaking, though his words were so intelligible it was hard for his mother to understand. "Ch-charma-ander... he... h-he..."

Ash's little hands brought forth a startling discovery. In his grasp lay he Charmander stuff toy Delia had made for him when he was a baby, her first try at sewing a plush creature. Though instead of it being intact, each seam sewn to perfection, one of the arms was completely torn off and the same side of it had a big g aping seam with the stuffing sticking out. There were a few loose threads hanging out as well, and as she soaked it all in, Delia's heart sank.

Ash loved that thing to death. Delia knew that, so she was able to grasp what kind of pain he was under. And it was starting to ache for her too.

"Oh, no..." w as all she could say at first, till she gave a small gulp and rubbed her son's shoulder tenderly. "Honey, what happened?"

The boy smeared away a few tears before speaking, though his constant hiccupping made it difficult for her to understand. "I- I was pl-playing a-and h-his ar-rm i-it just... i-it j-just..."

Listening to him stutter and with his voice heightening to the climax of bawling was utterly excruciating for Delia. She instinctively collided the boy's solid face with her chest, caressing his back tenderly with hushes and soothing coos. That's all she could think of to help ease his tears.

Everything seemed so perfect that morning. Well, at least with Ash. Going to work wasn't so pleasant for his parents as it was for the child; nevertheless, he liked to attend school. Though now with this disturbing display of hysteria, she was unsure if he'd ever want to step first in the school's corridors again.

Delia's mind was flashing with a million different thoughts on how her little boy's day unraveled. She couldn't wrap her head around it. What? What could have happened? Did Ash accidentally tear the seam while playing? Did he engage his playtime with a fellow student and then tragedy occurred, or did someone purposely damage the meaningful plush?

She wasn't sure.

As Delia continued to comfort Ash, Ms. Town soon emerged from the entrance of the room, bearing a very troubled expression. She had actually left the room to fetch Delia for the weeping child, though after running outside all over the place to find Mrs. Ketchum, she was glad the woman found her own way to Ash.

"Mrs. Ketchum?" said Ms. Town, her tone calm yet serious. "Do you have a minute? I think we should talk about this."

Delia rose slowly as she felt Ash's soaked face dive right onto her bare leg, snot and tears streaking her skin. She didn't care, her mind was too preoccupied with her son's wailing to even think about prying him off. He needed something he was comforted by to hang on to.

"Of course."

* * *

"Hey, dude. Closing up for the night?"

Jay shot his head up by the sound of Chad's sudden knock on the closed door, followed by it creaking open. He expected as much for him to check in towards the end of the day, for he usually paid a visit before retiring for the night.

"Yeah," he replied, then slapped some papers in his open brief case. From there, he stood back and breathed heavily at the mountain of papers infiltrating his desk. Man, he was swamped. "It's Friday so I'm trying to leave as soon as I can."

And thank God it was. Jay wasn't sure if he could stand another minute it that stuffy office. Or the people, and that's why he let Grace leave a little earlier than she usually did.

Once he and Grace went back to their office , a swarm of many eager workers stumbled out of the elevator and poured chaotically at Jay's desk. He had to order them firmly to form a single line if they wanted to be heard out, which didn't even give him and Grace time to discuss how they'd like to tackle finding assistants. So instead, Grace jotted down more notes and looked at their files, finally having the two narrow down their top ten choices in a tall abundance of reports.

It took up all their precious time that late morning, and even into their lunch. They could barely snag a few bites without someone coming in, asking if any of the positions were open to assistant Jay. The man supposed everyone wanted in on Project F because of the promotion, thinking they'd get some kind of raise too. However, if there was going to be a raise, Jay and Grace would be the only two who'd get that lucky bonus. But that still didn't stop people from coming.

Chad gave a small smile as he entered in the room, then he fiddled with a pen he easily found on Jay's catastrophe of a desk. "I know the feeling. The mail room was swamped this week, not to mention, I've still got my shift tonight at the pizza joint. "

The man had matured a great deal since graduating high school, and one of his strides of maturity came with balancing two jobs. Finding out only a few months after graduation that Annie was pregnant, Jay had helped persuaded Chad to do the noble thing and marry his longtime girlfriend before news broke out in town. It took some persuasion, but the young Oak eventually agreed to his friend's request after seeing Annie desperately wishing for them to be together for the child's sake. Not to mention, he had observed how Delia and Jay's marriage had been for the past two and a half months, and decided he might as well tie the knot himself.

Plus, Emily and Richard would have killed him in his sleep if he didn't follow through with 'protocol'. They weren't going to let their daughter go through life being a single mother, just because the father was too damn stubborn to put his own selfish needs aside. Not like he was really going anywhere in life to begin with. College was definitely not a road he wished to travel like his old man, and becoming a roaming trainer never sparked much interest. He could be a decent husband to his girl, and give their child what he or she needed, and both the Professor and Annie's parents were willing to pitch in and help.

So what did he have to lose?

Chad had to admit though, he enjoyed working at the pizza join in Viridian, and preferred its atmosphere over the boring, but busy mail-room. In the last couple of years, he had actually been debating about buying out the place and making it his own. After all, he had been saving wads of tips from the moment he started working there, and knew if he was in charge of the establishment, Mr. and Mrs. Oak could finally bask in the finer things of life.

Jay closed his brief case and beamed back up at his friend. "Geez, you won't get home till late."

"Not till like eleven. Annie was pretty upset when I told her I had to work overtime," Chad continued explaining, tossing the pen back on the desk. Then he watched it roll till a small stack of papers stopped its movement. "Said she got a phone call from Em and wanted to talk something over with me."

"When my mother is involved, it's never a good sign."

The brunette-haired man huffed out a soft chortle, not worked up by it all. "Yeah, but I'm not too worried. She's probably complaining about how we aren't feeding Gary the proper nutritional food that he needs to develop or something like that."

"Or that he is a delinquent," Jay snorted quietly underneath his breath as he swung his jacket on.

His friend wrinkled his forehead, not catching the snide remark. "What did ya say?"

Any one of the family members would have to be oblivious to not notice Gary's antagonistic behavior. Or just simply denied it. Most of the time, the boys got along on fairly good terms. There was the occasional squabble however, that led to tears and the blame-game and the refusal to cooperate with the parents. Then it got worse. There would be talk of whose fault it really was and the constant debate on which set made better parents, and the overly opinionated advice given, and the talk of books of parenting, and seminars...

Gary's parents were in denial. That much was certain. Though Ash was no angel either, like any other child. Still, in most instances Gary was the prime perpetrator and not only did Delia and Jay see this, but Jay's parents were aware of it too. Even Prof. Oak! Though categorizing Gary as a little demon wasn't going to do any good, nor was it completely true. There was a sweet side to Gary, just like all children, though with the constant neglect of his parents due to their work schedules, he was always saddled with Prof. Oak. The boy did love and favor what he called his "gramps" above all, but there was still a bit of a mean streak in Gary, and his repetitive picking on Ash would drive any parent up the wall. Competition for affection and recognition was something both boys fought for, and it was enough to make them all scream.

The man swallowed hard, denying his mumbling. "Uh, nothing. I'll see you Sunday."

Watching Jay's steps quicken to the door, Chad reached out his arm. "Wait," he said, freezing the dark-haired man in his tracks, his fingertips only a few inches away from the doorknob. "I actually wanted to ask ya about what happened in that meeting this morning. Did Brad really try throwing himself out the window?"

What a relief! If Chad had caught that truthful yet harsh comment that slid from Jay's mouth, there would have been a quarrel erupting. A quarrel in which neither one truly wanted to argue over.

Jay spun around on his heels and looked back at him with a raised brow. The overly-dramatized accusation of Brad's departure from the company whisked away Jay's further thoughts on Gary's ill behavior. "Now what is the likelihood of that?"

"I dunno," he shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pant pockets. "The guy seemed like he needed serious help."

"No, but Steve bluntly announced that Brad, dare I say, had a difficult time not physically engaging with a woman in marketing. Which is exactly why the project was neglected, and was relied on the shoulders of people with less experience."

"So the weedle comment was true!" Chad's lips burst with fits of laughter.

Is that all he really wanted to know?

Jay sighed. "Regrettably, yes. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to head home."

At last both men exited from the room, shutting off all the lights and locking the door. It wasn't too long after Jay gave another goodbye that he decided to take off down the hall, leaving Chad just standing there.

He proceeded to wave casually to his worn out friend. "Uh, all right. Catch ya later."

Chad couldn't quite seem to pinpoint what was eating at Jay? Knowing how complex of a guy he was, it was probably a hundred different things, in which he could barely name half of.

* * *

Jay arrived home with a few minutes to spare before dinner was placed on the table. He groggily climbed out of the car and walked to the door with a heavy sigh, then he pulled out the keys from his pocket with enervation. As he pushed them in and unlocked the creaking door, a blast of heat hit his face. Delia must have used the oven, and the hot air wasn't very soothing after being in an overheated room on a warm day such as that.

The man proceeded to step in with a mild expression across his face, and he shoved the jingling keys back in his pocket as he announced his arrival. "Delia, I'm home."

There was no response, though the man caught something alarming from the corner of his eye. As he finally skimmed across the living room, Jay's gaze fell upon Delia sitting quietly on the couch with Ash beside her, her arm wrapped around him tightly as he released sniffles and strong cries.

Jay crinkled his nose in confusion as he walked through the entryway to the couch, standing next to his wife and weeping son. "What's wrong with him?"

There were much kinder ways of rephrasing his concerning beseech of wanting to know why his child was in a riled up state.

Delia lowered her eyebrows as she looked up at him. "You know the Charmander I made for him?"

"Yeah, he hauls that thing everywhere," replied her husband as he took of his jacket, still befuddled by the scene.

"Well he took it to school today, and Ms. Town kindly informed me that Gary wanted to have an imaginary battle with Ash's Charmander against his Squirtle."

Lo and behold, Ash and Gary were at odds again and Jay couldn't stomach it nor understood why it had to go down this way.

"What?" he gaped, throwing his jacket on a nearby chair. "Did it use an imaginary water gun attack on it and told Ash it was kaput?"

This wasn't funny.

Delia huffed and her eyes narrowed. "No, Jay."

Was it such a big deal to bring Ms. Town into it? Of course she would inform them of the incident, but was it being blown out of proportion? It was normal for the boys to get in little spats over frivolous things, though Jay had never seen Ash pour out so many tears from an encounter with mischievous Gary.

"Then why is he crying?" he continued to wonder as he struggled to undo his tie.

"Because Jay if you would let me finish-"

"We were battling Daddy," Ash cut in, snot running from his nose continuously as he tried to smear it away. Jay turned his attention from his wife and onto him, puzzled immensely as the boy rambled between wheezes. "And G-gary gra-bbed Ch-charmand-der a-and... a-and he-he to-took Squ-squirtle and-"

Delia quickly ceased the chance to inform Jay of happening, and eased Ash by finishing his broken up sentence. "He pretended to use a skull bash attack- or tackle or something, and deliberately tore off one of its arms."

Tore of its arm? Was she serious? How- how could he do that?! Obviously, Gary didn't understand the meaning, the significance behind the toy, but still, how- how could he commit such an act! Jay tried reasoning in his head that it was probably an accident and his son was overreacting. But, something about Ash's eyes made him give a second glance. They sincerely showed a depth of hurt, not just silly tears he poured when he couldn't have his way. His face was flushed to the extreme with long streaks of tears accompanying it. The sight made Jay furious.

Plus, little things like this had been occurring repeatedly, and this one was just the tip of the iceberg.

He could feel his blood pressure elevate from listening to both Ash's sad attempt at explaining the situation between tears, and Delia's blunt explanation. Then, Jay finally unleashed the outrage within. "What the hell is wrong with that kid?!"

His wife's eyes widened dramatically as she hissed, "Jayce, watch your language!"

Had he forgotten about Ash's presence?!

"No I'm serious Del, that kid of theirs is a menace to society!" his voice thundered, not submitting to her command. "Who goes around tearing someone's toys apart? That's the sign of a Pokémon abuser!"

That was a bit dramatic.

"Yeah!" Ash piped up, though it was clear he didn't have a full understanding of his father's words.

Delia gave a sharp gaze at the kindergartener who quieted down immediately. She didn't need Jay's choice of words influencing their little boy.

The woman flashed her eyes back up at her husband. "Jay, as upset as I am over this I think you're taking it too far. I can fix his toy."

She didn't really want to have this conversation in front of Ash. But when Jay got on a tangent, there was no stopping him and usually, he didn't even think about how the selective words spilling from his mouth would affect his son's vocabulary. Thankfully however, Ash wasn't the kind of kid to repeat such language.

"I know Delia," Jay groaned, running a hand through his hair, "but it's the principal of it! It's the fact that Gary _did it_. Sure, maybe in his own strange way he wanted to make it more realistic, but I highly doubt he was unaware that it would hurt Ash's feelings!"

He paused briefly, then produced a frustrated sigh. "Have you talked to Annie about this?"

"Not yet but I will. I was trying to reassure Ash and make dinner."

Jay could smell the aroma seeping from the oven, and grasped the hassle Delia undertook while calming their wailing son down and making sure the casserole didn't burn. So he decided to take matter into his own hands, and settle this excusable act.

Strutting to the phone, Jay picked it up and started to violently punch in the numbers of his sister's house number, grumbling as he did so. "Well I'll do some more reassuring for you, kiddo. Annie is certainly going to get a call from me. Trying to have an imaginary battle..." h e snarled then scoffed as he brought it to his ear. "For God's sake, that defeats the purpose when you physically destroy the other person's toy! Imaginary battle my ass-"

"Jay settle down! You're not going to call Annie!" Delia ordered loudly, her calm demeanor splintering in one blow.

Surprisingly, her husband let her take control of the situation and slammed the phone back in its place, pouting with a shake of his head. It was on its last ring, and Delia terminated his chance at leaving a direct message on the Oak's answering machine.

"At least not now," she continued, her voice lowering. "I've got dinner almost ready, and I need you and Ash to get to the table."

She could hear him release another scoff as she turned back to Ash with a mellow, reassuring tone. "Everything is going to be fine, sweetie. I'll go to the store tomorrow and pick up some thread to fix the little guy. Okay?"

Ash nodded without a complaint, a little startled by his father's abrupt outburst. "Okay, Mommy."

"Good. Now wash up for dinner and head to the table."

He promptly nodded again, and raced past Jay hurriedly to climb up the stairs and attend to cleaning his hands as instructed. Delia watched Jay carefully as he avoided her eyes, giving him the same motherly look she'd give Ash if he was misbehaving.

"You too mister," she commanded as her glare deepened, walking back to the kitchen with a swish of her flowing skirt.

Jay simply watched her with a sneer, still standing in the same spot. "I will. Sorry for caring about how our son is being harassed by his classmate. Not to mention his own _cousin_."

And it was that fact that ticked Jay off the most. He didn't have a personal vendetta against his own nephew, but what Jay _couldn't_ tolerate was the persistent harassment. More than anything, he was furious with Annie and Chad's ineptitude at parenting. They were doing their son a disfavor. Never correcting his behavior, or the biggest issue of all, hardly spending time with him was damaging. They always found some lame excuse to back up Gary's poor actions, and Jay felt terrible to watch them innocently yet carelessly handle a life without thinking about the repercussions.

And those repercussions were affecting everybody.

Was it a shocker they weren't prize winning parents? No; however Jay couldn't help but feel ashamed of his sister's pathetic efforts of raising her son. Ultimately, he knew he wasn't the one to judge, though with Gary's actions continuously affecting Ash, how could the father feel like he didn't have a right to get involved and throw in his two cents?

In many respects, it was like what happened to Chad as a child. Chad had cried for attention by getting fixed up in silly schemes, and now his son felt compelled to take on the role as the designated kindergarten bully. If they didn't do something fast, Gary's little tantrums of wanting his way and pushing other kids around would only get worse as he got older.

It had to stop.

Delia dismissed the jab, though she felt inclined to stop in her tracks, and straighten things with her ill-tempered husband. The casserole would just have to bubble for a few minutes more. "Jay, you know I appreciate and support you fully for protecting Ash, but I think this was the last straw for you to just set off like that. You've been so stressed at work with all your meetings and I think you've been bottling it up for too long. I don't want one little thing to go to your head."

Her firm understanding of his stress level and the seriousness of the decapitation of the Charmander quieted Jay down. Though, he threw an icy stare at her which was pointless. They were on the _same_ side. He was just reacting on an extreme level.

"It'll be resolved," she guaranteed without wavering. "Trust me. I already have a meeting arranged with Ms. Town for next Friday. So we can talk about this."

He scoffed sardonically at her last words. "Like that will do any good."

Delia didn't need his negativity.

"Jay, it's not just you who's upset. I am too," the woman reminded sternly trying to not lose her composure again. "You know how much it upsets me when I see Ash cry. Especially finding him in tears when I went to pick him up today! That was really hard for me to remain calm Jay, after all the other things that have accumulated over the week. He's my baby and I don't want him being bullied."

"I know, that's why I was going to call," he retorted defensively.

"But you Jayce Ketchum, overreact which does us no good. I'll talk to Annie when it's the appropriate time. At least we have the weekend to sort out this mess."

Another snort was released as his eyes followed his wife's movement to the kitchen. "Yeah, the weekend."

* * *

Delia could faintly hear her husband wish Ash a goodnight before strutting off to their bedroom. He had just finished taking a delightful fifteen minute shower and was now dressed in his comfortable pajama bottoms and a simple tee, ready to hit the sack.

He had calmed down since the news of Ash's unfortunate day, and silently informed Delia he was sorry for his outburst with the volunteering of clearing the table and washing the dishes. The man acknowledged he had taken it way too far, so of course Delia accepted his gracious offer and made amends with him. After all, the woman didn't condemn her husband's his feelings on the matter, though the slow progression of him getting a hold of his tongue tended to be tedious. But Delia was patient and with patience came forgiveness and even _more_ patience. The increase of Jay's work load was the main source in regards to his lack of self-restraint, and how he poorly selected his time and use of rebuttals, which made Delia wish all the more that the company _would_ give him a break.

As Jay made his way into the bedroom, he was quite surprised to find his wife still awake, all huddled in bed with her knees to her chest. She was engaged in one of her many romance novels, and Jay formed a small grin as he watched her eyes dart across the page. She certainly was engrossed with the book's subject.

"Hey, you're still awake," he said, standing in the entryway of the bedroom.

He was so quiet, Delia didn't even hear him enter in. As she raised her head, the woman bookmarked what page she left on and settled it on her nightstand. "Barely," she replied with droopy eyes, watching him close the door. "I thought after working at the inn today, I was going to collapse and then Ash's melt down-"

"I know. You've been overexerting yourself, Del," Jay responded as he slipped into bed, sitting up with his pillow for back support.

His wife promptly released a heavy sigh and stared down at her sheets. "Well, it's the only way for us to make a living."

The talk of money was something no one wished to discuss. _Especially_ Jay. He had heard and talked about the green bills his entire childhood because of his wealthy parents, and did not want it to be the soul topic of his own marriage. Their everyday conversations didn't need to be focused on a water bill or how much they should leave for groceries, or appliances, or anything else for that matter. It seemed like there was no escaping the monotonous.

Jay paused, then adjusted his throat. "Is your mother going to give you the weekend off?"

"Thankfully, yes. She said she got Michelle cooking till Tuesday, and Jenifer's going to help at the front desk till Wednesday. Plus, she noticed the dark circles under my eyes this morning." Delia couldn't resist the urge to crack a smile, sweat-dropping at her inability to acknowledge her tired physical appearance. "I didn't even notice them till she mentioned it!"

He had noticed the dark circles under her eyes as well. Jay never understood how Delia could take everything so lightly, and always made an effort to flow with the change of their daily schedule. She was able to mask the burn of it for so long, it started to concern him whether she was being pushed too much. She had a job to hold, as well as the role of a mother to play. And Jay was aware how demanding their son and her position was.

He just thanked the stars, Leah, Delia's mother, had taken into account her daughter's health.

"It's about time she gave you a break," he replied seriously. "You're one busy and responsible mom."

His sweet comment caused a small grin to sprout from Delia's lips. "I try. How about you? More meetings?"

"And paperwork," Jay finished, displaying aggravation. "If Grace hands me another stack of thirty page documents that practically repeat themselves, I'm going to scream. We have partnered with enough companies as it is and going over the limit of fifteen flavors is just ridiculous."

"Sounds like we both need a vacation," his wife concluded after listening to her husband spout off.

"You said it. Not to mention, I've got another project thrown at me."

Delia arched an eyebrow. "Another one?"

"Yeah, but this one's a big deal. A _huge_ deal in fact. I don't want you to get too excited, but there's a rumor going around that if I complete this project successfully, I'll get a raise."

"Really? That's great Jay!"

Jay's order of not getting excited seemed to bypass Delia. He wanted to be just as enthusiastic as she was about the mind-blowing rumor. However, it was a rumor, and usually hearing from the grapevine would only bring despondency. She had to remember that. After all, it wasn't the first time the couple got anxious over such tantalizing gossip.

"It would be great," he agreed, "but I'm not going to hold my breath. I have to get it done in two weeks, so I won't be able to have dinner with you and Ash for the next few nights. I'll have to work night shifts if I want to finish by the deadline."

Delia's lips immediately sunk into a frown. "So that means you won't be able to attend our meeting with Ms. Town?"

"'Fraid not."

That was a huge disappointment. Delia accepted the dedication Jay had to put forth to stay within the company, yet would it have killed them to be a little lenient with his schedule? He _had_ a family, so with that came other obligations. But he couldn't stop everything at a drop of a hat. He was being tugged in both directions in which neither one was willing to cave in. Delia knew however, that she'd have to let this little instance slide and make the trip to the school by herself. Without her husband's support.

And for all they knew, this little project of his wouldn't even be worthwhile considering the bonus was up in the air.

In exasperation, Delia produced a moan. "Oh, why are they giving this to you now?" she inquired, slightly peeved. "And why do you have so little time-"

"Because the idiot who originally had it screwed everyone over and wasn't diligent," Jay snapped. "And now, I'm stuck with it because Steve apparently thinks I'm his saving grace!"

He proceeded to rub his temple roughly and exhaled another deep breath. "I'm just so tired of all this..."

There was a moment of silence as Jay continued to drown quietly in his thoughts over work, leaving Delia thinking about her own worrisome matters that had gnawed at her core for quite some time.

They had not been able to have a day for themselves in months. The last real significant thing the couple did was Valentine's Day, but after that the months flew by, school got more hectic for Ash with the year drawing to a close, and Delia and Jay were immersed in more and more hours at work. Any of their leftover time was used to meet Ash's needs, or the house's needs.

Neither one of them brought up the issue of less alone time, but instead kept it to themselves. Since she was no mind reader, Jay's silence on the topic frightened Delia. He hadn't brought it up. Not once, and lately the woman found herself pondering over just when he'd come home and treat her to a movie or dinner, or just some simple cuddling time.

It was impossible to believe with the time they had it'd actually happened. But Delia was a true romantic, and a small part of her hoped her husband would overwhelm her with extravagant plans for the evening. That was nice for the woman's day dreams, but as for reality, well, the most she got from him was continuous grumbling about work at the dinner table, and then his snoring on the nights she stayed up waiting for him, only to have him doze off innocently.

He was rightfully tired. No, tired wasn't the right descriptive word. Jay was ready to drop dead, and getting any fun out of a guy who would most likely fall asleep in his dinner plate was not exactly meeting the high requirements of a romantic like his wife.

Finally after a short pause, Delia spoke up with a gulp. "Jay?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you miss spending time with me?"

Jay shifted himself to fully gaze at his wife, concerned deeply by her sudden question. That was certainly out of the blue. "Of course I do, Delia. Why would you think otherwise?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

Delia knew it was such a trivial question. Jay would never have traded work for his wife! If it was his choice, the man would spend every waking moment with her, not crammed in some stuffy office with a bunch of incompetent workers. Asking such a question bothered Delia a bit, for she knew how much pressure he was under constantly, and having him worry over something so petty wasn't going to make things better. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if he thought about it as much as she did, thanks to the lack of time they had sat aside for each other.

"You've just been so wrapped up at work it seems we've sort of forgotten about each others needs," Delia explained, then looked away with an expression of culpability. "I'm guilty of it too."

Jay's gaze sharpened as he reached for his wife's hand, caressing it ever so tenderly. "You're guilty of nothing. You're a wife, a mother, and a worker. It's only natural we'll hit a few bumps along the way. That doesn't change the way I feel about you, Delia."

His words were beyond reassuring. At heart, Jay did everything in his power to make his girl happy. Even when they were dating, Jay made an effort to make their night at the movies or simply sitting in the car with only school and Pokémon to talk about a memorable experience.

And what came along with his adorable attempts was his unforgettable smile. God, that's what really won Delia over. On the occasion he decided to turn up his lips, the woman felt a light head rush consume her thoughts. He was so handsome without even trying, and his perfect smile to mask his sometimes unbearable sarcasm only made Delia long for him. From the moment they met each other, each day they spent together, Jay started to grin more and more, eventually she was able to coax him out of being the mild introvert he once was.

The auburn-haired woman tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she continued. "I know it doesn't, but it just feels like we hardly ever have time to ourselves," she admitted with saddened eyes. "I take a shower, read for a little while, tuck Ash in bed, and by the time you're done with your shower and you're all cleaned up, I'm passed out. I mean, we haven't been intimate in a couple of months because either we're too tired or you get home late. There's just never a moment of peace. We can't even sit down and watch a movie together, go out to dinner, or let alone, go beyond a peck on the cheek... Oh," she moaned softly, resting her head back and shutting her eyes, "everything's just so complicated..."

They needed some amount of intimacy to make their relationship work, and it was coming vividly to Jay's attention as he watched Delia sulk in the complications. He wanted to do those things with her like they had done before their marriage. No. More like, craved to be the one who brought cheer to her face and bliss with the touch of his hand in hers. He remembered the enrapturing feeling when he got his first real taste of romance. And once he had a bite of it, Jay wanted more.

Needless to say though, Jay had the habit of keeping things to himself, and he too had thought fervently over how much he hadn't showered her with flowers and kisses lately. There was an immense pain of guilt aching in his chest for not doing so, and he only wished he could devise the perfect evening for the upcoming week.

However, his work schedule was limiting his chances which nettled the man all the more.

So, he felt obligated to make up for it in the most subtle yet charming way possible. And Jay was positive it would please his wife.

"Are you tired?"

Delia cocked an eye open, her head still resting on the top of her pillow, supported by the bed-frame. "Yes, why?"

"Are you _still_ tired?"

What was he getting at?

She shut both her eyes as her brow narrowed softly. "Yes Jay, I am still tired."

"How about now?"

Her voice hinted slight irritation for Jay limited the amount of Z's she could snooze out for the night. "I've woken up a little if that's what you're implying," she answered, her eyes flashing open once more.

"Well you said yourself that we haven't been intimate in a while," he reasoned as a seductive smile crept from his lips. Then, he got to it. "Ya wanna break the cycle of deprived sexual pleasure?"

Without delay Delia's eyes brightened. Her overall expression appeared to perk up, and it lifted with such zest as she smiled back at him flirtatiously. "I think I can spare a little bit of sleep."

"Are you sure?"

Answering in a clever manner, she proceeded to lean in and give him a soft kiss on the lips. "I'm positive," Delia murmured as she pulled away, which only heightened Jay's excitement.

The married couple immediately reached towards their nightstands and shut off the lamps. Soon after the room fell dark, Delia lay down and giggled enticingly for him to come forth, and so he did without hesitation. He then tenderly pressed his lips against hers, engaging in a gentle, yet passionate make-out session. It wasn't too long into their kissing before Delia murmured something. Jay could have sworn he heard her mumble the usual "I love you", though by the gripping and tugging on his shirt, he understood what needed to be done.

Instantaneously, Jay removed his lips away from hers, sitting up to take off his shirt. He felt a wisp of chilly air tingle across his bare skin, though as he lay back down, Delia's arms clamped onto him in another heated kiss, warming him up again. From there, he ventured from her soft lips, pecking the most sensitive and ticklish spot between her neck and shoulder. Delia sighed with pleasure as she could feel his hands pull down on the straps of her silk night gown, about ready to pry the damn straps off with a single tug.

Though as the kissing deepened and the arousal slowly grew more and more intense, a beam of light peaked from the hall. It was Ash, who stood meekly in the doorway , softly beckoning for his mother.

"Mommy," he called out, holding up a large book between his little chubby fingers, "can you read me a story?"

Once the light skimmed across Delia's face, she promptly shoved Jay off of her, sending him flying to the other side of the bed. He was a little perturbed by the sudden intrusion and the uncomfortable crash he took to his pillow, letting out a low groan.

Composing herself, Delia quickly pulled up the straps of her night gown, making sure no cleavage was hanging out and turned on the lamp, which blinded both she and her husband momentarily.

Ash's mom smiled awkwardly as she fumbled with her obscure hair. "Uh, yes," she replied, hoping to God Ash didn't hear or see anything. "Yes, I'm coming Ash." The boy simply nodded in return and raced off to his bedroom without any questions thankfully.

"I'll be right there," the woman called again. Then, rising out of the bed, Delia turned back at her frowning husband, giving a weak grin as her apology. "I'm sorry."

Delia hardly ever turned down Ash's request of story time, and Jay didn't want to be selfish and keep his wife from their needy son. Even if he believed they needed a little self-indulgence.

"It's fine," the man waved casually try not make a big deal out of it. "I'll wait up for you," he added, putting his arms behind his head for support.

She was relieved to hear he was fine with the decision, though she was still a little apprehensive. "You sure?"

They had been waiting to have a romantic evening together, and the last thing Delia wanted to do was disappoint her husband. After all, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. However, having a child came with the territory of Ash constantly needing either one of them, and thankfully both Delia and Jay grasped this reality right away. It just wasn't always fair.

"Yeah, it's fine. Go on ahead."

She gave a nod as she exited the room. "Thank you."

As he lay in bed, Jay attempted at waiting for Delia's return with the entertainment of a Pokémon League Magazine he had stuffed away in one of the drawers of his nightstand. His flickering eyelids were battling with him to get some rest, instead of staying up for an exhilarating night. He had only flipped through a few pages before colliding his head with the pillow, and soon his eyelids shut completely and his fingers released their firm grip from the pages of the magazine. Then came the soft snoring. He surrendered.

It wasn't too long afterwards that Delia had finished reading the short bedtime story, that she peered over at her still son. He had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of her reading, and was all huddled up in his warm blanket, hugging his plush Mankey toy for comfort as he snoozed along. The mother smiled warmly at the sleeping angel as she set the book aside, and planted one last goodnight kiss on his cheek.

From there, she marched excitedly and quietly all at once back to her room, only to discover her husband snoring softly with content. Delia's bright expression dampened with the knowing of receiving no thrills for the night, but she didn't let the disappointment get to her as she walked over to him.

Instead, she found it quite humorous.

"Now I know how he feels," she laughed quietly as she removed the magazine. Delia had fallen asleep several times before he ever made it in the bedroom, and now she understood the same rush Jay felt when he found her knocked out, not giving him a single goodnight kiss.

Looking at how the muscles in his face relaxed, how his arms hung with such repose, Delia did not wish to disrupt him. It was rare to see him slumber on so peacefully.

* * *

That Saturday morning was fairly quiet. Delia had let Jay sleep in while she conducted breakfast and fed their energetic son. The sound of footsteps and talking did stir the man awake, though he pleasantly accepted the end of his slumber. He didn't mind getting dressed and throwing the bed together on the weekends for he had no work, which meant all he had to do was mow down the lawn again and lend a hand to Delia with their everyday chores. Plus, there was going to be a Pokémon League marathon on that morning, and he knew how much Ash enjoyed watching them with him.

Heading down the stairs with a simple t-shirt and dark denim jeans, Jay bounced in the calm kitchen with a warm grin. Delia was busy putting a jug of milk back in the fridge, and Ash was finishing off his large bowl of now soggy cereal.

"Morning, babe," he called to his wife. Then to his son, as he headed towards the already heated coffee pot, grabbing a cup from one of the upper cabinets: "Morning, squirt."

"Morning," Delia replied just as pleasantly as she settled the carton of milk on the top self of the refrigerator.

Seeing that his father was present, Ash quickly dove across the table and reached for a small item he anxiously wanted to show the man. "Daddy, I got a toy in my cereal!"

Jay was in the middle of pouring himself a nice hot cup of the caffeinated liquid, but he stopped at Ash's exclamation. He squinted a little as he gazed at what his son had held up in the air ever so eagerly. It appeared to be a Blastoise, though what the prize actually did Jay was not certain.

He went back to gushing out the steaming coffee. "That's nice Ash," he replied plainly at the boy's enthusiasm.

"It's a Blastoise," Ash continued happily as Jay took a seat at the head of the table. His son was sitting on one of the sides next to him, and the man gave him the indication he was listening with the slight nod of his head as he took his first sip of the desirable liquid. It was refreshing. "When you fill it with water," the child went on explaining, "its cannons sprays it out!"

Barely a moment later when Jay's lips met the rim of the mug again, did he feel a sprinkle of water hit his face. Apparently, Ash had filled the new toy just so Jay could see it in action. He didn't react angrily to the innocent act, only scoffed with irritation as he used a napkin Ash left untouched to dry his face. It also seemed that Delia was in on the stunt, for she looked over her shoulder and was laughing as hard as Ash.

Their soft chuckles managed to fade Jay's frown away. He had to admit, they did get him pretty good. But two could play at this game. Once he finished devising a quick comeback in his head, Jay was forced to neglect tickling his little rascal by the eruption of ringing of the phone.

He swiftly got up from his seat as their laughter faded, volunteering to answer the call. "Hello?"

"Jayce, is Delia available?"

He froze for a moment, then a serious expression swept across his face. "Uh, may I ask who's calling?"

"It's me," the voice spat with annoyance. "Your mother. The one who fed you, clothed you, gave you those piano and singing lessons-"

"Not ringing a bell," Jay interrupted sarcastically.

Emily Ketchum was a hard woman to get along with, and since she and her son didn't always see eye to eye, they usually ended up spatting back and forth in a conversation of ultimate sarcasm.

"I also bought you that horrid contraption for your seventeenth birthday that you insist on riding to work," the older wealthy woman reminded sharply. "And I was the one who let you have that fire breathing thing you call a pet-"

Then it hit him. "Oh, that's who you are!" he exclaimed loudly, continuing on with the witty comments. "You know for some reason I forgot all about you, which is hard to do, _trust me_."

"Ha, ha, you're so hilarious," Emily answered dryly, then her tone turned stern. "Now is she there or not? I suppose she's busy considering she's the only one who remembers to feed Ash."

Jay narrowed his eyebrows at his mother's harsh assertion. "I feed Ash."

"What is he eating?"

"Um…." he quickly cuffed his hand over the phone so his mom couldn't hear him search for the answer. "What's Ash eating?"

"Cereal, Daddy!" Ash confirmed after he swallowed another mouthful of food.

"Oh right! Cereal," Jay replied, hoping Emily didn't hear his own son give him the answer.

Instead she pursued. "What kind of cereal?"

"Mom, are we seriously having this discussion?"

Delia eyed her husband curiously as he went on talking with his mother, wondering what all the commotion was about.

"My guess is something full of sugar," the snooty woman assumed. "It probably contains ingredients none of us can pronounce and are the leading cause of cancer-"

"No Mom, he's eating shredded wheat!" Jay clarified with a roll of his eyes. "Whole wheat which is good for your body and lacks any flavor whatsoever ."

Emily slipped a small smirk. "Well at least you know that much. Now back to what I was saying, if you could kindly hand the phone over to Delia before I find another topic for us to discuss-"

"All right, all right!" Jay handed the cordless phone over to his wife, who was surprised it was for her. "Here, my mother insists on speaking with you. It is obviously an emergency, like one of her petunias is on death-row. Also, don't be surprised if she says something discouraging that will make you feel like a complete failure as a parent-"

Delia held up her hand and eased his rambling. "Jay, I've got this. Hello? Hi Emily…"

The woman took the phone call to the other side of the kitchen to fully listen to Emily, while Jay sat back down with Ash.

"What does discouraging mean Daddy?" Ash questioned with an addled expression as he shoved a mountain full of cereal in his mouth.

He must have picked up some of the conversation Jay exchanged with his mother. "Something you shouldn't feel till you're twenty and have failed a job interview," his dad grumbled in return.

Ash was even more lost on the meaning of the word, however, Jay was too busy eavesdropping on the strange conversation taking place with his wife and mother. If Emily ever called, she never asked for Delia. Usually when she dialed their number, it was to nag them about something with Ash or ask Jay to pick up something for her while he was in Viridian because the maid she hired was too inadequate to find her the specific brand of cashews or meat she needed in the preparation of their lavish dinner.

Not to call Delia- and to what? Invite her somewhere? This was certainly an odd twist.

"Really? In the next three weeks? I'd love too, but it's kind of short notice," said Delia, biting down on her lip. "I don't know if I could leave Ash for that long. Okay, I'll talk it over with Jay. Yes. Yes, I understand you'll need an answer soon. Okay. Thank you again for telling me. Have a good day Emily, and tell Richard I say, hi. Yes, we'll make it to dinner Sunday. Okay, bye."

Once she hung up the phone, Jay perked up in curiosity. "What was that all about?"

His wife walked over to the table and sat down, placing the phone off to the side. "Zelda has just finished her spring courses in time for summer, and your mother has invited Annie and me to come along and visit her for a few days," she informed.

Jay rose his eyebrows. "In Cerulean?"

His other sister Zelda had been a hard-working college student for almost six years. She was nearing the end of her education, earning many degrees, and had mentioned plans of opening up a professional photography shop in the next few months. Everyone was floored to hear her settle on a career path after so many years of studying, and Delia was super ecstatic to have the chance to catch up with her old high school friend.

It had been months since she last saw her.

"Yes Jay, in Cerulean."

"You're not considering going are you?" he asked with a stunned expression.

"Why shouldn't I?"

Why shouldn't she?

Delia heard of the experiences of adventuring out of Pallet with dear Emily Ketchum, however she had never experienced the trips herself. Jay had told her plenty of the horror stories from the moment they became friends, and each one had a different setting, twist, and so on. When Jay returned home from his two week travels, like during winter or spring break, Delia recalled a shiver of chills she'd get from listening to him explain the details of the trip and comprehended why it was so terrible. There would usually be a pointless fight that would ruin half of the vacation itself, but over time the break was worthwhile. Delia also remembered the times Jay did have fun. Rare they were, the occasion he had fun going to those extravagant places, almost left his girlfriend feeling jealous. For she was stuck at home milking the Miltank, cleaning the Rapdiash stalls, and helping unruly Chad shine the pokeballs in the lab.

Those days were over. Now, it was her turn to have some fun.

However, Jay was determined to make her see reason, for he did make a point. "Because you'll be stuck with my mother and my sister. I've been on vacation trips with them plenty of times, so I think I know what I'm talking about."

Indeed he had. And he could name numerous jaunts they took to Saffron: where the night life never ended, and the Seafoam Islands: where they had their beach house, and even on Mt. Silver: where the Ketchums always took their yearly skiing expeditions. Those stuck out in his mind clear as day.

He felt so compelled to inform his wife of what she was possibly getting into, Jay delved straight first in a story without even asking her if she cared to listen. "One time when we went on one of our skiing trips, Annie forgot her heavy coat specifically for going up into the mountains, and Mom gave her this long droning lecture about how she should have packed another.

"Then, she spewed on about what the Barkers would think of us because they were ironically at the ski lodge too. So there was this senseless battle about Mom not letting Annie be seen without the proper skiing attire, and come to think of it, I don't remember skiing once on that entire trip-"

"I don't share the same relationship with them as you do, Jay," she cut in ending the rambling.

She could feel the tension build up inside of her, imagining the vacation that would unfold in front of her very eyes. But she and Annie were adults now, so adventuring off with Emily to Cerulean wouldn't be too painful. Annie was bound to remember to bring a coat in case, by then. Right?

Jay could see the calm certainty in his wife's eyes, which surprised him. "Are you sure about this Del? I mean, when is this trip anyway?"

Before she could sputter out an answer, Ash piped up without even paying any attention to the conversation at hand. "Momma, can I be excused from the table? I finished all my juice and cereal," he added proudly.

His mom nodded. It didn't surprise her he had chugged down that pomegranate juice so quickly. "Yes you may, baby."

Joyfully without a care in the world, Ash rose from his seat and toddled over to the kitchen sink. "I'm gonna fill Blastoise with water again!"

"Be careful, Ash," Jay said for his already eyeing wife.

His little feet climbed up the few steps on the Camerupt step stool, and soon, his short arm reached across the wide sink, turning on the faucet in one twist.

"Your mother wants to leave in three weeks, right after Ash gets out for summer," Delia stated, listening faintly to the sound of the rushing water from the sink. "It sounds like a great opportunity to get out and have some time with the girls, but I don't know if Ash can stand being away from me for that long. Or more like," she laughed at admitting the truth, "I don't know if I can stand being away from him for that long!"

A loud thud drew their attention to the kitchen. Ash had just hoped off the Camerupt stool, having his sock covered feet crashing against the newly moped floor. He held onto his prize as it dripped with water, shuffling through the kitchen, then into the living room to the patio door. "I'm going outside!" he announced.

"Ash, please put some shoes on first!" Delia ordered. The boy ran to the front door and slipped them on as instructed, then pushed the sliding glass door open with all the strength he could muster. His mom winced a little as he stepped out on the patio. "And watch your step- and don't leave the front yard either!"

They both kept their eyes on Ash till he shut the door, and thankfully he plopped down on the patio playing with other toys he had left outside earlier that morning.

Jay broke his gaze once he saw that his son followed orders, continuing with the conversation. "Delia, you're worrying too much." And he meant that in more ways than one. "If you honestly want to go, then I don't mind watching Ash for a few days. You deserve a break after everything you do for me, for Ash, and for the house. Besides, we've got the whole summer to be together. What are a few days apart?"

Hearing her husband reassure her as well as giving her permission to adventure off in the busy city of Cerulean with his relatives was wonderful. They did have the entire summer like Jay said, and Delia honestly wanted to visit Zelda and see how far she had come. There was still however, one little thing she was uncertain about.

Delia paused and ended her staring out the patio glass. "Are you sure you can handle it though, Jay?" she asked anxiously. "I mean, watching a child is a lot of work and that is no understatement."

And it wasn't. They both provided care for Ash, but with Jay's hours at work, Delia was the nominated parent who spent most of the time with the child and double-checked that all his necessary needs were meant. Though on the days Jay was available, he stepped in and wrangled Ash for the majority of the time. But even at that, he would sometimes pathetically call for Delia's assistants. She wasn't sure what trouble would unravel is she wasn't present.

"I realize that Delia, but I'm more capable than you think."

A few seconds later, Ash's little feet stumbled back in the house again, saving the last bit of water for his old man before refilling the Blastoise once more.

"Daddy, Daddy!" he called, standing a couple of feet away from him with the trigger in his hand. "Watch Blastoise again!"

Without giving him a chance to react, Ash soaked Jay's face with another cold squirt of water. He sat there with a predominant frown as Ash broke out in chortles, scurrying off to the kitchen sink.

A few giggles leaped from Delia's throat as she watched Jay smear the water from his brow. "See what I mean?"

The man shrugged off his wife's sly comment, and removed the dripping liquid from his blinking eyes. "That toy is no ordinary prize in a cereal box," he stated, now pointing at it. "It should be discontinued."

Delia chuckled again as she fetched him a clean dish cloth from the counter. "You're starting to sound like your mother."

Jay took the towel from her grasp and dried his wet face and neck, listening to their harmless laughter. Maybe he wasn't ready for Delia to take a vacation just yet.


	3. Ketchum's House of Laughs

**Silently Broken **

**Chapter Three**

_Ketchum's House of Laughs_

"Once upon a time in the faraway land of Palletshire, there lived a farmer and his wife the inn keeper, who brought up a beautiful miltankherderess-"

"Miltankherderess? Why don't you make her a shepherdess?"

"Because miltankherderess is a lot more fun to say."

Attending Sunday night dinners at exactly six-thirty on the dot every other week was a begrudging task for the Ketchum family. They had been established soon after Delia and Jay were married and now it seemed more like a ritual than anything. A ritual they were forced to attend. It was a way of keeping in contact with Emily and Richard on a regular basis and it was a way for the grandparents to visit with Ash and see the boy grow with great strides. Though that visiting time wasn't used as intended, for Richard was too enthralled with his stamp collection or newspaper, and Emily was gossiping away about workers at the hospital or filling them in about a maid she recently fired. Apparently, their priorities of hoarding stickers that were meant for mailing and jabbering on about how a nurse carried a bed pan, letting all the vomit swish back and forth, nearly splattering on the tiled floor, were much more valuable than interacting with their grandson.

Ash didn't seem to mind however. The boy took pleasure in his time away from home, and entertained himself with various toys he dragged along. They were all stuffed away in a massive backpack, and ironically, Jay ended up hauling it over because it turned out to be heavier than Ash himself. His parents wished they were children again when the thought of discussing world topics and residents of Pallet came to Emily's mind. Ash was lucky he had a distraction to keep him occupied from discussing the stock market and what function _The Daughters of Kanto_ were hosting. Not that the boy would have much to say on the matter.

Nevertheless, the couple and their child showed up for the evening, and followed the same routine of Ash not wanting to put on an itchy sweater his mother insisted he wear to look presentable for the evening and, in general, the overall fussing about heading up to the old massive home. And it wasn't Ash who fussed about that.

Jay adjusted his throat before continuing, his warm fingers wrapped securely in Ash's hand, shielding him from the bitter temperature that decided to decline that evening. "As I was saying," he started, eyeing his wife briefly, "they raised the girl and as the years passed, she became well known for her kind heart and smiles of generosity."

It was inevitable to think that Jay wouldn't conjure up some silly scheme to avoid minutes spent with his parents, and what better way to do it than to amuse Ash with a spur of the moment fairy tale?

"And when she wasn't busy handing out milk to the poor or palpating the Miltank-"

Delia's eyes widened from the term her husband so willingly used in front of their son, hissing as if a warning was given, "_Jay_, let's not get graphic-"

"She spent her time walking through the forest and talking to all the woodland creatures within it."

That was much better.

He continued to pursue with such liveliness and flamboyancy mixed in with a hint of facetiousness, Delia was about ready to take her small clutch and smack her husband upside the head. She didn't want to grace his parents with her presence as much as he did; alas, they had promised to fulfill the occasional dinner, and they were going to uphold it. No matter how many times she had to rattle his head with her clutch.

"But one day on one of her many nature walks," Jay went on, his tone changing to keep Ash's engagement, "she ventured too far in the dense forest, and soon stumbled upon a great big scary castle with detailed glass windows, stone walls, and overly elaborate statues with a touch of a slightly suggestive fountain planted in front of the lavish, yet dreary home." He stopped short of breath for a moment and eyed his still son, producing a question. "You liking it so far, Ash?"

The boy never denied his father's offer at telling a story, and he was almost enamored with the tale every time. Even when it didn't make sense due to Jay's large vocabulary or lengthy descriptions, Ash tried to follow and soon forgot about the bag full of goodies he anxiously awaited to play with.

He beamed up at his dad with a nod. "Keep going."

"All right." The man paused for a second to collect his thoughts then followed through with another deep breath of air. Soon, a release of more overly elaborate details took flight.

"Where, come to find out, lived a lonely prince who was stashed away in a tower thanks to the queen herself, keeping him hidden from all the dirty peasants and their bad cultural influences. So spotting the young fellow high in the balcony, the miltankherderess climbed the great stone walls that miraculously had vines draping from them and as she reached the top, the maiden fell head over heels for the prince."

"That's mushy, Daddy!" Ash suddenly exclaimed with a scrunched up face.

Jay returned his son's declaration with a toothy grin. "It gets good, kid. By her sheer beauty and glazed expression, the prince fell madly in love too, and soon they devised a plan to run away together and raise many miltankherderer and herderess babies.

"But before they could make their great escape to live happily ever after, the wicked queen stormed in with raging flames burning in her eyes after hollering at her many supposedly 'incompetent ' maids, as well as her absent minded king who liked to use his telescope he got for Christmas to eye the pretty neighbors, which really was supposed to be used for star gazing or bird watching and-"

"You know you're practically reiterating our teenage years in a fairy tale setting?"

Delia didn't feel inclined to praise her witty husband on the condescending picture he painted of Ash's grandparents, whether it was accurate or not. The true-to-life material that Jay felt compelled to incorporate was not appropriate, nor was their son able to follow the story.

Jay arched an eyebrow, titling his head to the side with a spark of mischievousness shimmering in his eyes. "Was it that obvious?"

"Daddy," Ash's voice abruptly called out with a look of befuddlement, "this story's confusing. How could the queen's eyes have flames in them?" Before his dad could give an explanation that the boy could comprehend, the cold wind tickled Ash's nostrils and caused him to sneeze. "Achoo!" he exclaimed suddenly, and then sniffed as he watched the small spots of mucus fly onto the concrete. A shiver soon traveled up his spine, his voice trembling in a soft whimper. "I'm cold..."

Delia's eyebrows lowered as she removed her hand out of the tight sweaty grasp she had formed with Ash's, feeling his rosy cheeks. "Oh, his cheeks are getting awfully chilled, Jay," she stated, looking back up at her husband.

Even that darn prickly sweater wasn't enough to fend off the chilly air roaming through Pallet that night. Jay felt a twinge of guilt for making them withstand the night air, for Ash was more prone to feeling the repercussions of the cold. Even if it was a spring evening.

"Sorry buddy," Jay apologized as he rubbed his son's fingers tenderly. His eyes then fell upon the intimidating big door and sighed. There was no more stalling. "I guess that's our cue to go in..."

No one moved a muscle. Delia had initially waited for her husband to announce their arrival with a ring of the doorbell, but his frozen stance was telling her otherwise.

Till he turned his head to face her.

"Do we have to?"

Was he serious? She didn't need both her boys complaining! It was hard enough getting Ash to submit to the sweater he thankfully put on, and now Delia had to play mom to her obstinate husband just because he didn't want to sit down for a couple of hours and chat about literally nothing relevant with his parents? Jay was forgetting he wasn't the only person who had to attend these dinners, nor did the idea of running back to the car and driving off into the distance fly either. No, there would be a phone call in the morning, and with Emily's gift of persistence there was no way of avoiding the talk of their absence.

If they were going to go in they were going together. And they were going to go for the right reasons. There was no need to hightail and run.

Delia narrowed her eyebrows. "Jay, ring the doorbell."

"I can impersonate each and every one of my family members very well," he pushed with a cheeky grin. "I can do it in the car on our way home, and it'll feel like they're actually with us!"

It was time for Delia to put on her 'I mean it' look. A look she used often when Ash begged to stay up past his bed time or rummage around for a midnight snack after she finally got him to brush his teeth.

And so, she did with repetition. "Ring the doorbell."

Jay fell through with his wife's command, catching onto the most assertive expression she could bare. Though before he pressed his finger on the bell he added one last remark. "Fine, but you'll never hear an offer from me again."

"I think I'll manage."

Her resolve finally led to Jay pushing down and releasing his finger off the bell, a loud ring sounding off in the massive home. They waited patiently with barely any time to spare, for one of Emily's newly hired maids promptly greeted them with a welcoming smile, coaxing them in the house.

"Mrs. Ketchum is waiting for you in the foyer with your other family members," the maid informed as she shut the door behind them. "May I take your coats?"

Delia already stripped her top garment off and let it dangle in the crook of her arm. She almost felt silly for forgetting her mother-in-law's hired help, handing it over with a quick nod of her head. "Oh yes, thank you," the woman replied with a genuine grin.

Jay followed Delia's actions and handed his coat off as well, mumbling as he did so. "Did you hear that, Delia?" he questioned with raised brows, pretending to be ecstatic. "Mr. and Mrs. Oak have arrived."

His wife kept her smile on while the maid was in the room. If they dared to bad mouth the Oaks or even give the inclination they were not presently pleased with them, the maid might slip a comment to one of the other maids about the family, and horrifying enough, reach Emily.

"Then the night will be even more entertaining," Delia responded, playing along.

His voice lowered in a raspy whisper, continuing on with a forced grin between his teeth as he plopped Ash's bag of goodies on his mother's pristine, hand-woven rug. "And, let's not forget about their miscreant of a child-"

"_Jay_."

The woman had not gotten a hold of Annie that weekend. She was frustrated beyond belief to only catch the recording on the Oak's answering machine, and that they had not returned her call. Delia had left a very brief but informative message regarding the dispute and the result of it on Friday, and was not surprised, but irritated to receive no response. It was just like the Oaks to be busy with their lives and answer their hundreds of messages later, but this tidbit of news certainly needed to be addressed and handled sooner than later.

Though later seemed to appeal to Oaks.

Furthermore, the tempting but unnerving idea of bringing up the altercation between their sons at Emily and Richard's house would turn ugly the second Delia or Jay opened their mouths. It was no place to discuss anything on the lines of the boys' behavior, for Emily would most certainly intervene with her unwanted opinions of both sides. The Ketchums would have to wait a little longer.

Delia only hoped Jay would keep his mouth shut about it. If anyone was going to spout off about the problem, it was him.

Watching him already fumble around in his backpack, Ash's mom turned her attention to her son and bent down. "Ash?" Her voice caught the boy's attention and he removed his gaze from his toy-infested bag. "You can play with Gary before dinner, but please, be on your best behavior. Grandpa and Grandma have very-" How could she put it? "-nice things that can break and might give you a booboo if you're not careful. So _no_ roughhousing. Understood?"

Ash's nod gave the indication he accepted the fair terms of his grandparents' house. However, he felt inclined to throw out a surprisingly on-topic question. "Do I have to play with Gary?"

Of course he didn't! Delia didn't blame him for not wanting to participate in Gary's fun after Friday's incident. It was understandable after seeing the sincere hesitation in his eyes, yet Delia was aware how much Ash loved to interact with others, and almost acted as if he wished to please if it meant keeping friends. Though if their friendship continued going south, both Delia and Jay weren't sure if they wanted them to interact so often. Much less, have either one of the children get their feelings hurt by the other's actions.

Gary probably could handle it if Ash pulled a mischievous antic on him; the kid tended to shrug anything off with the ego his folks innocently provided him with. But Ash, well, he was quite sensitive, and any little act, whether it was intended to be hurtful or not, led to the boy to take it to heart. And his parents couldn't handle the constant aggravation.

Delia's firm expression softened. "If you don't want to, you certainly don't have to."

"What if he's not being mean?"

If only that could stay consistent.

His mother began to rub his arms gently, and her grin started to grow steadily. "Then go ahead and have fun, sweetie."

Ash returned Delia's reply with another nod, though their conversation fell short at the sound of Emily's voice drifting from the living room around the corner.

"Jayce, Delia, we're in here!"

Delia shot a gaze at her husband as he produced a heavy sigh, then begrudgingly reached for his wife's hand. "C'mon dearest, let's not leave them waiting any longer."

She accepted his hand instantly and followed his lead, with Ash tagging along behind with an armful of selective toys. Toys that had no seams but instead, were made of plastic. It was Delia's doing in prepping her son for a lively evening with his cousin, and the mother went to every measure to avoid another tragic episode.

As they strolled into the nicely decorated living room, the three were greeted with turned heads and smiles spread across them. Annie and Chad were settled on the sofa nearest the entryway and Gary was already in the midst of entertaining himself on the floor behind the sofa his parents were seated on. As for the senior Ketchums, Richard was comfortably resting in his chair busily reading his entrancing newspaper, while his wife sat across from her daughter and son-in-law, sipping away on her alcoholic beverage.

Jay wondered how many of those his mother had already put down.

The man casually waved back at their agreeable expressions and took the liberty of giving a proper hello. "Hey, Mom. Sis, Chad..." Jay paused momentarily as he gazed at his father, waiting idly by for the man to lift his head from the article he was engaged in. But like many times before, he did not. "Dad?"

Richard made no attempt at greeting his son, and with this not being the first instance the older man absentmindedly didn't acknowledged him, Jay just turned his attention to his animated nephew.

Little Gary scooted a large fire truck around as his uncle bent down. From there, he eyed the boy with a faint smile, and the motion of the plastic truck stopped, for Gary spotted his uncle's feet near the wheels.

"And uh, Gary," Jay adjusted his throat. "Hey there kid, how are you doing?"

This greeting wasn't much better.

The hellion's bright expression faded into a dull one, his lips curving into a defiant frown. Then with his hand still resting on top of the fire truck the boy spat, "Bite me!"

Jay's eyebrows swiftly narrowed by the child's hello, and faint gasps soon followed throughout the room. Annie immediately took charge and swiveled herself in her seat, glaring over her shoulder to correct her grumpy son.

"Gary, is that any way to talk to your uncle?!" she hissed, though all he did in return was puff heavily through his nostrils and went back to playing. The exhausted mother only sighed as she looked up at her brother, embarrassed by her son's outburst. "I'm so sorry Jay-"

"It's fine, don't worry about," he assured as he rose back to his feet. Then as Chad and Annie scooted over on the piece of furniture to make room for him and Delia, Jay thought of a witty remark. _Feeling's mutual anyway_…

He was wise enough to keep it to himself.

After the greetings and not-so-polite hellos, Ash didn't join his parents on the sofa, but instead shot right past them. His little legs carried him over to Emily, surprisingly, who was astounded to find him anxiously crawling up on the couch.

"Grandma!" he cried joyfully.

His arms held on tight to all his toys as he struggled to climb, so Emily hoisted him up on her lap, her knees clamped together in a tight hold as she balanced the six year-old. "Ashton! It's very nice to see you came," she said, a subtle smile on her face.

Delia produced a soft grin at the sweet sight of her son's sincere excitement. Emily wasn't nearly as significant as Delia's mother, Leah, was to Ash. But she was his grandmother, and Ash always enjoyed seeing her on those every-other-week occasions. Neither Jay nor she were sure why their son adopted such a fondness for each of his grandparents, for they were all different and not all of them were as involved as some. But Ash's little heart of gold loved each of them dearly no matter what the circumstance was. After all, he was a child and seeing any gray of why he might not be so fond of one grandparent over another would be abnormal for a boy his age.

"I would have been here sooner," Ash started explaining bluntly, "but Daddy was busy telling stories outside."

Emily's eyebrows rose. "Oh was he?" she asked, intrigued by the comment, and soon she eyed her son. "What kind of stories?"

Jay huffed. "Nothing pertaining to you."

Then things began to spiral out of control.

"Fairy tales," Ash answered, his innocent eyes blinking up at his leering grandmother.

Emily's smirk only grew larger as she glimpsed over at her guilty son again. "I'm sure they were fairy tales."

"They were! I swear!" Jay exclaimed defensively.

Then his wife decided to pipe in, mumbling softly with her hands resting in her lap, glancing down. "They kind of were..."

Jay's eyes widened by the slip of her tongue, hissing in a harsh whisper, "_Delia_!"

Then, Ash broke the ice unintentionally. "Can I please play, Grandma?"

"Of course you may! But you must be careful," she ordered with a softer tone. "Grandma has just bought some very expensive imported lamps and she'd hate to see them topple over."

"I know," he nodded. "Momma already told me."

Well, he sorta did.

Now it was Delia's turn to get the eye. "Did she now? Well, I suppose we're on the same page. Go on and have fun."

"Okay!"

From there, the boy gracefully slipped off his grandmother's warm lap and ventured forth, plopping on the carpet with his cousin. Delia turned her upper torso slightly to watch the playtime unfold, only to find the boys behaving themselves and keeping each other entertained with their own belongings. A release of worry left Delia's body as she turned back around, though her sweaty palms still lingered. Her fear of an explosion unraveling was still haunting her.

Emily could see she had enough fun rattling her son's cage by his perturbed and flustered expression, strutting over to the drink cart near the stairwell, close to where her grandsons were playing. "Would you two like me to fix you a drink?" the older woman offered, skimming through the various opened bottles settled on the top rack. "You might need one after hearing your son confess your tales of fibs."

"They weren't fibs, Mom," Jay corrected, his arms crossed over his chest. "It was like- historical fiction." That seemed like a reasonable clarification. "And please and thank you about the drink," he added, trying to change the conversation. Then, the man proceeded to blow out a puff of air, grumbling underneath his breath for only his wife to hear. "Especially if I'm going to last through tonight..."

Delia nudged him in return, a physical scold for his uncalled for grumbling, in which he replied with an expression of defense and another huff.

"Martini I presume for you, Jayce?" Emily said, peering over her shoulder a bit to catch his eye.

Jay didn't turn, but answered. "With a twist as usual."

"Or I could fetch you a beer like I did for Chad," his mother suggested, placing her clean hand in a large silver holder of ice.

"Hey, don't go knockin' on beer, Em!" said Chad with his index finger pointing at her, his other hand holding onto his half-drunken bottle. "It's good for the soul."

Chad certainly didn't fit in with the Ketchums, nor did he really with his own father. Yet Annie still loved him for his- uniqueness and wouldn't part with him for the world no matter how much her mother wished for her to settle with someone who was more- accomplished.

"I am not criticizing your precious beer," Emily verified with narrowed brows as she went back to making the drink. "I will say however, that the majority of people who drink beer are people with round bellies, no goals in life, and live in squander."

Chad scrunched up his face after a short pause. "Squander?" he repeated, befuddled. "Where's Squander? We live in Pallet, Em!" he went on with a faint chuckle, presuming her geography to be false.

The older woman only let out sigh as she concocted her son's drink, too drained to explain her terminology for the use of squander. "And to think, I gave you my blessing to marry my daughter."

"Hey!" Jay jumped in suddenly before an argument consisting of nonsense broke out. "Aren't we all having fun here in Ketchum's House of Laughs?"

His sarcastic mouth was not as direly needed he presumed to believe.

"Have you lost your mind?" Emily spat back, dropping two green olives in his martini.

"No, it's still sloshing around up there," he retorted jokingly, swishing his head side to side. "Although I do think it has decreased by ten percent because I'm sitting here, listening to your shrill babble."

Goodness, they were in for a fun night.

Both Delia and Annie shook their heads as they heard Emily slam a bottle down, sending an irritated expression in her son's direction. "My voice is not shrill!" she argued, then looked to her husband for support. "Richard, is my voice shrill?"

The Ketchums were clearly easily excitable people.

Richard was still distracted by the smell of freshly printed ink to care about the conversation at hand. "Uh-huh," he responded halfheartedly as he turned to the next massive page of text. "Whatever you say, dear."

That was pointless.

"I digress," Emily sighed heavily with a roll of her eyes. Then she noticed an empty, perfectly polished glass, all by its lonesome, still waiting to be filled. She had forgotten about Delia's drink. "I apologize for not attending to your needs earlier Delia; now what would you like to drink?"

"Water's just fine, thank you."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Not even a little wine?"

"Nope, I think I'll stay sober tonight."

Delia wasn't the kind of woman who partook in drinking. In her household growing up, her father was the only one who had beer stashed away in the fridge and her mother and older sister never seemed to enjoy it. So naturally, she didn't either. It was, however, different in Jay's house. Emily and Richard would usually have some kind of drink ever so often, and the establishment of the drink cart being a reach away was convenient for the children as they hit drinking age. It was just custom in their family compared to the daughter of a farmer.

With the way they drank however, Delia was surprised none of them were alcoholics.

"Very well," Emily answered with a hint of suspicion. "Here you both go."

The moment Emily handed the couple their drinks, Delia received a very odd look from her mother-in-law. An expression she couldn't read, though it was possible this was just a new look she had to add to the already long list of the many expression of Emily Ketchum. However, Jay was starting to catch onto the small smile his mother bared as well. It had a hint of mischievousness and almost a twinkle in her eyes. It didn't make sense. At first, he assumed she had some dust blurring her vision or she was still busy snickering about Ash's innocent confession on the fairy tales. No, something was off this time. And neither Delia or Jay could put their finger on it.

"So," Emily started as she contained her grin, settling back down in her spot, "how's work been treating you?"

"Fine."

Their unified response didn't seem to humor the wealthy woman for she gave her son a sharp gaze. "I meant Delia," she clarified bitterly.

Jay simply scoffed and raised his hands up in defense, one of them carefully holding his untouched beverage. "Oh, well excuse my intrusion."

Ignoring his usual comment, Emily diverted her attention over to her daughter-in-law who was gulping down her first sip of water. "Business is good," Delia responded, setting the glass down on the coffee table that laid between the sofas. "It's getting close to summer so we've had a lot more trainers and vacationers."

"Wonderful to hear. Is your mother doing well?" Emily continued to inquire.

"Very well. I've stepped up and taken over some of the desk work so she can have some time off."

"That's very kind of you. Children should always aid their parents when they are in need."

God, another pointless speech.

Jay couldn't resist the reflex of rolling his eyes and mumbling once more. "And that was directed at me."

"After all," she went on as if everyone cared to listen, "without parents who would have raised the children? We as parents do favors for our children." Emily's stern gaze then averted over to Chad, who was busy stuffing his face full of bonbons she placed on the coffee table. Emily had rules about how many bonbons one could take. They were after all, imported from Sinnoh. "Even at that, some parents do not fulfill their duties. It's so tragic to see such potential in a child, and have them end up with the occupation of hoodlum."

Everyone knew who she was referring to.

"And that was directed at Chad," Jay clarified outwardly. At the sound of his name, the claimed 'hoodlum' licked off the last bit of chocolate from his fingers, looking at his friend with confusion.

Though Emily quickly dismissed the conversation. "I trust your father is fine too?" she went on.

Delia nodded. "Oh, yes. He's been working up a sweat! Everything's been just- dandy!"

There really wasn't much to say. Life was fine with her parents and Delia's busy life was nothing out of the norm. Things had not been going as swimmingly as she and Jay hoped they would, but hey, they had a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs. There was no tragedy, no loss of work. So what was there to complain about? Sure, they had more burdens then Emily and Richard did; however, explaining the details of their everyday struggles would only turn bad. Emily would be in their business in mere seconds with her unwanted opinions, and the couple preferred to figure out their dilemmas on their own.

"Well, I am glad to know everything has gone wonderfully." Then with a turn of her head, her expression turned firm and her smile shrank. "Now it's your turn Jayce. How's the world of business doing for you? Enlighten me."

Oh, he'd enlighten her all right...

"Nothing out of the ordinary," the man shrugged casually. "The ones at the top of the food chain don't do half of the work their workers do, the office is stuffier than a car parked in the blazing sun, the elevator that decides to work properly half of the time still smells like an unwashed gym sock, and Grace gets me coffee on and off like a woman who calls a certain guy up every so often to get that one particular perk... So the only thing that keeps me around is the pay."

"Good man, stick it through."

Jay crinkled his nose as he stared at his dad, shocked to find him actually engaging in the discussion. Though his paper was still glued to his face.

"Go back to reading, Dad," Jay ordered sharply.

"All right, thank you."

The man just shook his head at how out-to-lunch his father was, not bothering to understand why he gave him such a ridiculous response.

Seeing the tension gradually build, Delia gleamed down in her crisp glass of water, then back at Emily. She had to start up a conversation. "How's work for you, Emily?"

"Same as usual, till I come home and see an obscene scene happening in my front yard," she griped, looking off to the side detested.

That was certainly a new development and quite possibly a riveting topic to discuss. There was however, the chance that if they wished for the woman to expand upon it, they might regret it. Still, Delia and Jay took their chances.

"An obscene scene?" Jay repeated with a lighthearted grin at his wife. "How intriguing."

Suddenly, Annie cut in and leaned forward in her seat. "You do not want to hear about this," she stated with a dead serious tone.

A chuckle glided out of Chad's mouth as he joined in. "Em's already spewed about it to us. It's actually pretty funny- Oww!"

"It is so _not_ Chad!" his wife insisted after she slapped his knee. "It's gross!"

This they had to hear.

Emily couldn't stand any more of the bickering and decided to leak all the details out anyway, whether her daughter wanted to hear the story again or not. "You remember the Dawsons, don't you?" she asked Jay.

Ah, the Dawsons, such good memories for the Ketchum children.

"How could I forget?" he snorted without hesitation. "You always complained about their overly elaborate Halloween decorations and king-sized candy bars."

Jay could still vividly recall his eight year-old self parked in front of the window with his sisters, watching neighborhood children march up and down the streets draped in white sheets, and vampire fangs tucked safely in their mouths. The three were so fascinated by the children's delight of dressing up as scary creatures for the night of Halloween, and always drooled dreamily over the buckets of candy those giddy kids clamped onto so tightly. That's when the Dawsons came in. The overly extravagant decorations were put up during any holiday by the flashy couple, for they too indulged in the spirit with oversize spinarak webs and reapers and many carved pumpkins lining up along their driveway. It was no wonder the kids stopped coming around to the Ketchums' house and strutted over to the more elaborate home. The children especially ended their trick-or-treat visits when they learned dear Mrs. Ketchum handed out apples. And they didn't have caramel on them either.

Emily clearly had biased opinions on certain national holidays.

The only good that came from keeping her children locked up in the house on that spooky night, forbidding them from participating in the tradition of trick-or-treating, were the few trips they ventured to the dentist. With Emily's diligence and repeated denials of letting them run off in the night, there were no cavities in each of the triplet's mouths. At the time though, the children could not see the burden their mother spared them from. With that burden came the hardship of not being able to enjoy a perfectly kid friendly treat due to her righteous views.

It was certainly a catch twenty-two.

"They're devil worshipers," Emily spat with disgust. "And are the leading cause of cavities-"

"Mom," Jay moaned, looking as if he was suffering a mild headache, "get to the point."

"Their beloved Snubull passed away about two months ago," the woman explained in a blasé tone.

Delia's eyebrows lowered with sadness. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Her mother-in-law's reaction to the tragic passing of the Dawsons' pet didn't seem to stir the same emotion as it did for Delia. "So are we. Only a month later they picked up this apparently contest-quality Delcatty who is as dense as a doorknob." Emily produced a loud huff. "And I thought that grumpy Snubull of theirs was horrifying to look at... and smell."

"You had the Delcatty's IQ tested, Mom?" Jay asked with a wrinkled forehead.

"I should have," she scoffed, crinkled dark brown eyes harboring repugnance. "It parades around the neighborhood like it owns the entire block, and drops by almost three times a week because it insists it is capable of impregnating our Luxray statue."

"Oh, my!" Delia gasped with wide eyes, taken aback.

"You know how often it comes by?" Jay asked again, even more irked by it all.

That was very unexpected. When they heard of an obscene scene, the image of a Delcatty swinging by to get a perk out of an inanimate object didn't cross anyone's mind. Now the couple understood why Annie wished for the subject to be dropped, and they both could see why Chad thought it was so amusing. There was always something either absurd or just out of the norm occurring at the senior Ketchums' house, whether they brought it upon themselves or not. But this little incident would have never been on Jay's guess list of crazy happenings.

Now that she was on a roll, Emily went on explaining without asking anyone if they wanted to hear any extent on the matter. "I've been debating about starting a petition to have the Pokémon altered, but," she said as she tapped her glass, "your father claims it would be a tad extreme."

"And I still stand by that, Emily," Richard restated with his eyes still hidden by the thin sheets of paper.

For once, Jay just so happened to agree with his workaholic father. "Well I would say going door-to-door and asking your neighbors to sign a document entailing the altercation of a Delcatty would not only be extreme, but odd on your behalf."

"I should just call _Pokemon-Control_ and get this whole thing over with," Emily said, waving a hand in the air.

"_Mooom_," Jay moaned. He was already becoming exasperated. "How about you find something to do with your time instead of focusing on when the neighborhood cat decides to stop by and pay an off-color visit?"

"How can I when it is constantly mating with one of my statues?!" she hollered back with a befuddled expression. "Tell me Jayce, how could you ignore such a disturbing display?"

One couldn't. It would be difficult to ignore the sight, much less think of it. Then again, this was the same woman who fixated on fellow members of _The Daughters of Kanto_ and griped about what they did incorrectly and how gossipy they were, and how about her many staff members at the hospital and how unprofessional they all were? Something was always bugging Emily.

Jay diverted her question and made his own request. "Please don't use 'I' and 'mating' in the same sentence ever again."

As the repetitive complaining took flight once more, Delia's eyes kept wandering over to Ash and Gary, who appeared to be too distracted by their toys and animated noises to overhear the slightly inappropriate conversation. However, the mother wanted to end the discussion, not only because it looked like there would be no rational conclusion, but because she didn't want the boys' ears to be tainted.

Looking back at her jabbering mother-in-law Delia cried out with a little meekness, "Emily, could we please change the subject? We have children present."

Emily's narrowed eyebrows heightened as she stopped in the middle of one of her rambles. It finally dawned on her that her grandsons were in the room. "Oh of course, I do apologize!" Then she looked off to the side again, blaming the Delcatty itself for her mouth. "Damn cat..."

"_Mom_."

Jay's serious one-worded command to chill appeared to do good for the wealthy woman. "I have had my fill discussing that abhorrent creature tonight! We should find another topic for us to discuss anyway." Then after a pause, a smile grew. "I know, have you and Jayce talked over whether you'd like to accompany Annie and me to Cerulean?"

It was only a matter of time before Emily would ask the big question and they still hadn't settled on a decision yet. It would be a great chance for Delia to get out of Pallet and spend some time with Jay's sisters like they were teens again. Not to mention, she always dreamed of going shopping in larger department stores. It would have been nice for her to pick up some small new decor items, or even a souvenir for Ash. There were a flood of opportunities and minutes to relax, though Delia's natural worrying about her son held her back.

"A little- yes," the auburn-haired woman responded after sharing an unsure glance with her husband. "I would like to go, but I am hesitant about leaving Ash."

"Oh nonsense Delia!" Emily replied with a wave of her hand. "He'll be fine with Jayce! I'm more worried about Gary being left with Chad."

Chad's eyebrows narrowed as he placed his beer bottle on the coffee table. "Hey, I take care of my kid!"

"When _reminded_." That was reminder in itself. "It's only for a week Delia, and before you know it those seven days will have flown by and you still would not have had enough time to catch up with Zelda. Besides, she told me she was looking forward to seeing you again. You two haven't chatted in so long as it is."

"Yeah, Delia!" Annie piped up enthusiastically. "You should totally come! It'll be fun! We can have some girl time like the old days, and the kids will be okay. That's what these two are for," she added with a playful grin.

Emily and Annie were doing fairly well at persuading the indecisive mother. Delia truly wanted to accompany the women and go forth to the marvelous city of Cerulean, but leaving Ash in Jay's care? She knew he could do it. There was no doubt about it. Jay was an excellent and attentive father, keeping his eye on Ash's little wandering feet constantly. Jay was however currently overwhelmed, and she thought it would be considerate to evaluate his stress level and her own at that. Plus, was Ash really going to be all right without his momma? Being separated more and more from Delia was something Ash would have to accept as he aged, and she was sure he'd be perfectly fine being with his dad...

The real question was, was _Delia_ ready to take the big step of taking a vacation without her baby boy?

Sighing softly, the concerned woman tried to convey her reasoning for being uncertain. "I know Emily, Annie, but I have my duties as a mother. You both should understand what it's like to leave your child for so long."

"And I do," Emily answered. "I left the three of them countless times on business trips. Even when Richard was away! Of course we had Gertrude, their nanny, to look out for them. However, a little separation from your family might do you some good. Might help you relax."

That was true. Delia had mentioned to Jay she hadn't had much time to herself. To do what she wanted, take a nap at an hour she preferred, go for a stroll in the early morning! Getting away from the house, her husband, and her son might have more positives than negatives. Of course she would miss the two terribly, but maybe it was time for them to have a little separation. It wouldn't hurt anyone. She could catch her breath and Ash and Jay could have some bonding time. Jay also talked about wanting to do more activities with Ash, so why not give the boys their space?

It was a win-win situation.

However as Jay pointed out silently, Delia wouldn't be away from_ all_ her family members. _Well, she wouldn't exactly be getting a vacation from her family..._

Biting down on her lip, Delia released another sigh. "I don't know. Obviously I trust Jay more than anyone to leave Ash with, but I can't help but worry if something bad happens and I'm not there to fix it."

"May I remind you Delia, your husband is very capable of handling Ash."

Wow, a compliment from Emily? Usually she gave Jay more complaints than anything.

"Thank you, Mom," Jay said with genuine surprise.

"Of course I would have your mother check in on him on occasion."

His little moment of happiness faded with a frown. "Never mind."

"But seriously Del," Annie carried on, ignoring her mom's and brother's comments, "you should come with us. Zelda can show us around campus, we could go see a play, get our toes done, and did I mention _fine dining_?" she added with emphasis.

"I-I've never been fine dining before," Delia managed to reply with a tempting grin. Annie was making the trip all the more appealing and Delia could feel herself slowly succumb to their insistence of joining them.

"All the more reason for you to go with us!" Emily stated with enthusiasm. "So, what will it be? Yay or nay?"

Delia swung her gaze over at Jay. It was now or never to make the final call and with a glimmer of want in her eyes, Delia was able to convey silently how much she really wanted to journey to Cerulean. It only took Jay mere seconds to read through her big brown eyes and her tiny, sheepish grin.

"Honey, if you really want to go, then go," he said with all honesty. "It won't kill Ash and me to have you gone for a week."

"It might kill you of starvation."

He laughed a little to himself for she did make a point. Her cooking was phenomenal, and Jay's skills at grilling and boiling pasta was nothing compared to his wife's natural gift. Still, he was confident he could bring a meal to the table. "Please Delia, I know how to make pasta!" he reassured playfully. "We'll just eat spaghetti one night, then primavera, alfredo, macaroni, then lasagna and by the time the week is up, the kid will be so happy to see you again and thankful he will be rid of me and my pasta."

"Are you sure, Jay? Positive?"

He was being so understanding, so accepting of letting Delia adventure off that she didn't want him to feel like he was being taken advantage of. After all, it wouldn't exactly be much of a vacation for him. If she did go, she wanted to display how grateful she was to his willingness to watch Ash.

Her husband beamed a brilliant smile back at her. "When have I ever let you down?"

That was the thing-never. Jay was like the ideal boyfriend a girl could ask for, and now he was the ideal husband. He was mature, always considered her feelings, and he wasn't bad to look at either. He was handsome both inside and out and Delia could never imagine him steering her wrong.

So with that all in mind, the woman finally reached a decision. "Okay," she said after taking a deep breath. "I'll go."

Immediately, Annie and Emily broke out in cheers of delight, almost bouncing in their seats knowing they had gained another traveling companion.

"Wonderful! Just wonderful!" Delia's mother-in-law cried merrily. "I have already booked an extra room if you decided to come along, and Annie will give you a heads up on the weather so we know what to pack."

That was no surprise she thought ahead.

"Zelda says it's been really sunny there," Annie informed, "so I'm thinking of mainly packing dresses."

"That will be good to know, thank you." Delia then turned to her smiling husband and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "And thank you, Jay," she said sweetly as she drew away, his face hinting a soft shade of crimson. "I guess I do need a break."

She must have really meant it, for she never gave him such public affection in front of _his_ parents. But he liked it nonetheless, and was sincerely joyful to see her glow with such sheer eagerness to hit the road. It was good for Delia to get out and not worry about every little thing. Jay immensely appreciated her time and effort in being a wife, a mother, a homemaker and a manager at her mother's inn, and believed this was a kind way to let his precious 'Cabbage-Patch' know how much he loved her and wanted her to have a break.

"You deserve it," he replied warmly with a gentle rub of her hand.

While the married couple continued to gaze at each other with sincere expressions of thankfulness and weaving their fingers together to clasp hands, Emily's eyes traveled past the sofa her children and their spouses sat upon. She was watching Ash scurry out of the room to pull his big bag of toys out of the entryway. Once he got it settled on the edge rug he was playing on, Emily could barely see Ash carefully scoop up all his toys in one load, as he attempted to toss them back in the bag. In the midst of it however he dropped a couple, sending the waddling kindergartener back to pick up the ones that fell. Then once he placed them back in, he dug through the bulging backpack for a new set.

The wealthy woman made a small sound through her nostrils and gave a subtle smile. "Well that's nice."

"What?" Annie asked as she watched her mother lean to the side to look.

"Ash," she answered. "He's picking up his toys and trading them in for some other ones. I see you've taken the time to teach him how to clean up, Delia."

Delia turned her attention away from her husband to his mother, a little startled Jay's mom took notice of Ash's manners. "Well he needs to be able to do things on his own."

"I agree. If we as parents do not teach them certain things now, they will become hopeless individuals in the future."

"Whoa," Chad exclaimed suddenly after another sip of his beer, "harsh!"

"Yes Chad," Emily responded, almost talking down to her son-in-law, "reality can be very harsh. But you wouldn't know that, would you?"

"Actually I-"

"It would be nice to have another grandchild like him," the older woman stated randomly, cutting off Chad before he made a sad attempt at defending himself.

"Well," Delia threw out, unaware of what her words were about to cause, "maybe you will in the future."

Then in an instant, Emily went pale. She looked like someone who had just been given the news of a loved one's passing or had been touched by a haunting spirit!

Annie eyed her mother with concern, almost scared by the sight of her light pigmentation. "Mom?" she called out worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Okay? Was Emily okay? Well she was as okay as she was going to get, but never had they seen her so white, so... still. It looked like she was frozen, like she was relapsing to the time where Richard confessed his affair and it had taken her practically a year or two to forgive him and move on. It was a look they had seen before. Like she had been lied to, a horrible lie! Like someone was keeping a secret from her.

It wasn't too long before color returned to Emily's ghost-like complexion, and then with a breath of air, she screeched, "Oh my God, you're pregnant!"

What gave her that indication?! In the woman's defense it was a couple of things. At first it was Delia's refusal of a glass of wine, then it was the uncertainty of not wanting to come to Cerulean and using Ash as an excuse (even though that was legitimately true), and then it was her daughter-in-law's most recent comment!

Soon followed from the wealthy woman's outburst, specks of water flew right out of Delia's mouth and luckily she caught most of them with a napkin on the table. She started to cough heavily, almost choking on Emily's exclamation, and Jay immediately rested his hand on her shoulder, watching her with concern.

His mother's exclaimation and his wife's embarrassment as a result caused Jay to send a glare at Emily. "Mom!" he shouted, as Delia sputtered out a few more coughs.

Not long after did Richard finally raise his eyes from his paper, looking oddly back and forth between his wife then Delia, wrinkling his forehead. "Delia's pregnant?"

Boy, was he up to speed.

"Oh, so_ now_ you want to jump in on the conversation?" Jay spat at his dad.

"Delia, are you really?" Annie inquired as she leaned past her brother to gaze at her, not giving the woman a chance to speak. "When were you going to tell me?"

Then Chad joined in. Though instead he threw a question at Jay. "Hey dude, I thought you said you had night shifts on occasion?"

"Well, it could have happened during the day, duh!" his blonde wife suggested nonchalantly.

"I can't believe you were trying to hide this from me!" Emily cried in both anger and shock.

Delia's head was spinning between coughs, her eyes darted back and forth wildly with small tears leaking from them as the chaos continued to spiral out of control. Once she got control of her hacking, she kept her sweaty palms clasped tightly to her light blue dress, watching the assumption fly right off the handle. She didn't even have a chance to intervene and tell the truth with all the side conversations and hysteria erupting! Thankfully though, Jay's booming voice quieted everyone down. Including the confused children.

"Mom, no!" he hollered, drawing everyone's undivided attention. "Delia's not pregnant!" With a pause Jay could feel a small lump in his throat as he nervously crept his gaze over to his blushing wife. "Right?"

Jay didn't notice her having morning sickness or the occasional mood swings. Plus, her _wanting_ to get intimate with him the other night was another obvious hint. And well, they hadn't done it in a while anyway.

Still, he had to make sure.

Delia narrowed her eyebrows at him as if he should have known the truth and shook her head from all the disruption, trying to clear things up. "Emily," she said calmly, redirecting her attention. "I'm not having a baby."

"Are you sure?"

Delia could feel herself turn pale at the sound of a small voice speaking behind the sofa. Ash was the owner of that question, and whether he fully understood what the word pregnant meant or not, Delia could feel herself bake in a sticky sweat. She was certainly in an awkward situation. "No, honey," she replied as she maneuvered her head to face him. "Mommy's not having a baby."

"Does the Pidgeot know?" he went on asking with blinking eyes, an action figure resting in his grasp.

His mom produced a gentle smile and nodded. "The Pidgeot knows."

Why couldn't everyone be as calm as her son? If anyone was going to panic and have a fit over the new addition it was going to be Ash. But he didn't. He just wanted to make sure the great Pidgeot who dropped babies off doorsteps all over the world knew. And even in the midst of the madness, Delia thought it was mighty cute.

Emily had finally calmed down. Her muscles had relaxed and her color was back to normal. And so were her blunt comments. "Oh. Well that makes sense. You were lacking that glow."

Jay looked at his mom baffled, his mouth hanging open slightly. "_Oh_? All you can say is _oh_ after you humiliated us and, not to mention, brought up a very delicate subject with children in the room?! Why would you even think that was the case, Mom?" the man demanded for a rational explanation after that fiasco, and wouldn't tolerate some silly reasons that led his mother to such an extreme belief.

"Well she said she didn't want wine, and then she dropped what I thought, was a hint!" his mom exclaimed in defense with a raised voice.

Misleading assumptions as always. Jay rubbed his temple in irritation before spewing out a reply. "It was a possibility, Mom..." he grumbled, then threw his hands up. "God, why does this family read into every little slight?!"

"I'm sorry Jayce," Emily apologized, though it was more of her playing the role as the victim of the situation. Like it was Delia's fault for shoving those ambiguous thoughts in her head and forcing her to open her big mouth. "Forgive me for my bad interpretation!"

Delia could see where this was going, and tried to intervene with some rationality. "Emily, it's no big deal-"

"I just thought it'd be nice if you two were having another little one, so forgive me for ever wanting your family to expand," the older woman carried on, all the adult eyes focused on her, even Richard. "You should take my noticing of your son's manners and wishes of wanting you two to have more children as a compliment."

Unbelievable. Emily had a knack at turning things around and making someone else look like the bad guy. But Jay wasn't going to condone her childish behavior. "You can't be serious..." he muttered, perplexed by her rants and the fact that she actually _wished_ for them to have another child. "You actually want_ us_ to have another baby? Mom, have you forgotten you have three other children? And may I add _two_ of them are not even married or parents? Let them give you more grandchildren."

It was true, Zelda and Drake were still unwed and without a companion. Zelda had dated a few men throughout her years on campus, yet they all ended horribly, her easygoing personality and quiet demeanor led to them almost bossing her around or pressuring her to participate in things she rather not. She always fell for the stereotypical 'bad boy' and it puzzled everyone why a mild-mannered, silent bookworm like Zelda ever took interest in a guy who liked to live life on the dangerous side. As for Drake...well, he was a whole other story entirely.

"But that's the thing, Jayce," Emily replied with irritation. "Annie refuses to have anymore-"

"Mom, I've told you before!" her daughter suddenly interrupted, feeling the need to protect her and her husband's choices. "Chad and I want to focus on Gary. We're not ready for another baby."

"I wasn't criticizing your decision, Annie. I was just stating a fact. You two already have enough to worry about anyway."

The hinted jab drew Annie back in her seat, sipping away on the club-soda she had not touched for a few minutes. After that remark about Gary, Jay wasn't the only one pondering when dinner was ever going to be ready. He could tell by the tapping of Annie's nails on her glass that she was growing quite impatient.

Though his gaze focused back onto his mother, replying logically, "That still leaves you with two other kids, Mom."

"You don't understand!" she appeared to be at her wit's end, like her other children were a hopeless cause at ever providing an abundance of grandchildren. "Zelda cannot seem to find a man without a criminal record, and Drake is hopeless. He can't settle down with any girl. If it's not one girl this week, there will be another girl the next! I swear he goes through them like water!"

Drake. The black sheep of the family. The title didn't really suite his persona, but with him being the child of Richard's affair, it was only natural he'd receive the cold shoulder on occasion. Emily, however, grew fond of the boy. Seeing none of the disgrace Richard brought to the family was his fault, she took him in and raised him as her own. And even though Drake was not related to her by blood, the woman eventually considered him her son, her second son, which eventually led to him feeling comfortable enough to call her mom. It had taken him a while to adjust; after all he was close to his biological mother, though with her untimely death he had to attach himself to a motherly figure.

As to why he could never settle down with a girl was beyond everyone's understanding. But maybe not Jay's. He out of the all the children was closest with his half brother, and understood the fear Drake endured of committing to a relationship, always afraid if he sincerely loved someone they'd be taken away from him within a blink of an eye. Just like his mother.

And well, the young man was still too young to think about marriage and a family, and Jay reminded his mother of just that. "Mom, he's _nineteen_. He's not looking for a wife!"

Emily released a huff. "Unlike some people."

"Oh dear God..."

"I remember a certain nineteen year old who was very eager to tie the knot and start a family."

That was true too. Jay had married Delia right after high school and Ash's birth followed soon after. But that was how he wanted it to be. He and Drake wanted different things at the time. Drake was pursuing his dream of training and becoming a great battler known to all of Pummelo Island, and Jay, well, he had those dreams of training Pokémon too, but loved Delia too much to journey across Kanto.

Still even at that, the man felt the need to remind his mother of his and his wife's original plans. "First of all, we were planning on waiting to have a baby till a year into our marriage-"

"And your hormones were telling you otherwise."

"Again," he said sternly with a cringe, "stop using sex references."

"It wasn't a shock Delia got pregnant right away," the older woman stated. "After all, you two could hardly keep your hands off of each other."

"I think you have us confused with Annie and Chad. There was _always_ a boundary between us till we said 'I do'," he explained using one of his hands to form an imaginary wall between he and his wife. "You made sure of that."

"I am just saying it'd be nice to see your family grow. What's wrong with that?" Jay's mom questioned with a raised brow.

"There is nothing wrong with that-"

"Before you know it, you'll be thirty!"

So what? He was only twenty-four, there was still plenty of time. And what did that particular age have to do with anything?

"Wow, Mom," the man answered sarcastically. "I had no idea thirty was the new sixty."

"You know most women shouldn't conceive past thirty-five." Now she was using her health facts to get the better of them. "A lot of health problems can occur for both the mother and child. Would you like Delia to have complications?"

"She's tougher than she looks," was Jay's answer with a faint sneer.

"Well then, when are you going to have another? What are you going to do, give Ash a baby brother for his sweet sixteen?" she added dramatically with a touch of her wittiness, or one should say nuttiness.

That whole conversation was like merry-go-round. One question after another, a never-ending cycle of comebacks and more inquiry on the subject. And Delia could hardly get a word in. It was all Jay and Emily. Talking back and forth like the old days.

"Technically, boys don't have sweet sixteens," Jay pointed out.

"Teenagers are rebellious," his mother stated in return, listing more facts as well as her opinions. "They won't tolerate any new addition or change in their life; they're already at a delicate stage as it is. It's best to do it now while he's still old enough to accept a new person getting attention besides him."

"I'm not listening to this," he finally declared, throwing his hands up in the air. "We've argued over this discussion too many times before."

"You two are shockingly decent parents and it would be a waste for you not to have any more children. Plus, the Ketchum line needs to continue! Why can't you just listen to reason for a change?"

Was she serious? This wasn't the eighteen hundreds anymore! No one cared about lines and what status their family was, and how much money they'd be able to make. Only the wealthy really cared about upholding their title and for their children to continue on with their legacy, and the harsh reality of it was that Jay was a babe of wealthy folk. The oldest of the triplets, the older boy out of the two. He was_ Emily's_ son, so he was significant to the family's title.

However, Jay had other ways of looking at it. Logical ways. "The _line_?" he repeated, wondering if his ears were deceiving him. "Mom, have you considered that maybe we're not, I dunno, financially stable or that we-this might shock you-could possibly be happy with our one ray of sunshine? I mean, how many times do I have to say it before-"

"I wouldn't mind having another."

That's when the conversation shifted.

Jay's mouth dropped open after hearing Delia utter those very words. "What?" he said in shock, one of his eyebrows practically twitching.

Emily was taking delight in her's son state of astonishment. She figured Delia would see things differently than Jay. "Your wife is trying to tell you something, Jayce," said his mother mischievously, slurping her drink.

The dark-haired man made a face. "I can see that, Mom."

Delia finally had the chance to speak up, and so with everyone's eyes peering at her, she did so. "I don't see the harm in it," she shrugged, feeling her husband's icy eyes gleam down at her. "I mean, it would teach Ash to share and we always talked about at least having two."

Then, Emily slipped in another remark. "There's obviously been some miscommunication."

"There is no miscommunication!" Jay abruptly growled, then to turned back to his wife. "Delia, what are you talking about?" he questioned addled in a frustrated whisper. "We've never discussed this any further-"

"Well, maybe we should," she interrupted openly. "I know money's tight right now, but I think it is something we should talk about. Maybe not now, but soon."

Not now was right. It wasn't exactly ideal to be discussing the chance of bringing another life into the world with Jay's family present, and Delia confessing her true feelings on the matter in front of them wasn't so pleasant either. But Jay was willing to listen, he just didn't care to have everyone's ears open on the matter. Thankfully though, Ash and Gary were too busy flying toy airplanes around and making noises to even notice the talk of Delia wanting a baby.

"Well sure," Delia's husband replied, tension built in his shoulder, "but we can talk about it later. I seriously don't think now is the best time for us to be having this discussion. Besides, we have to consider Ash's feelings. I need to spend more time with him anyway before ever thinking about devoting my time to another. I'm at work constantly, _you're_ at work constantly, and I can only give him one on one time during the weekend."

This time, Emily appeared to be hearing out her son's feelings and seemed to find them to be understandable. "So you're telling everyone you wish there was a way for you two to bond more, devote more time to him, before ever thinking about having another?"

Jay blinked a couple of times at his mother, his muscles relaxing at the sound of her comprehension to the dilemma. "Yes."

"Well then, I propose an idea."

Thinking that his mother was actually listening was too good to be true. Jay appreciated his mom grasping his emotions, he didn't, however, entail her wacky proposals.

"Oh God, Mom-"

"Why don't you take Ash to visit Nana Esther while we go see Zelda?"

Nana Esther? Dear old Nana Esther who originally lived in that very home with Jay's deceased grandfather and moved out for them to have a place to live? The woman who was an aspiring artist and took pleasure in the great outdoors? The most calm yet interesting relative Jay had ever met? She was the one person he enjoyed visiting with most when they had their family reunions.

Jay and his grandfather were rather close before the man passed, and so his grandmother filled in that role for him, growing closer as grandson and grandma. The last time he saw his nana was when Ash was only a few months old. She came down from her home in Azalea Town to meet her great-grandsons and was thrilled to tears to see Jay contently married with a stable income and a newborn son.

To Jay, she was the perfect grandmother a kid could ask for.

Still, they hadn't made contact in such a long time and randomly dropping by unannounced to see her wasn't exactly Jay's style. "You're joking?" was all he sputtered out.

"Why would I be joking? Ash has never been to Johto before, it would give him a cultural outlook, and you have not paid your grandmother a visit in years anyway." Emily then looked at her husband who was, as always, reading away. "Don't you think your mother would like to see Jayce again, Richard?"

"Ah yes, dear. She would like that very much. She always found enjoyment talking with him."

"I don't know, Mom." The man's uncertainty was legitimate. "A trip to Johto? That's out of the region, and without Delia-"

"But you and Delia have always talked about wanting to take him places," Emily affirmed. "Now would be the perfect opportunity! Besides, what would you do at home with him while she is away? Sit him in front of the t.v. and fill him up on junk food?"

What would they do at home? Jay supposed they'd find something fun to do in their small town. They could always get ice cream or play a board game, or adventure off in the nearby woods. But they already did that on a regular basis. Ash was adventurous, he loved exploring and seeing sights, and both his parents knew how much their son would love an outing such as that. Plus, it would be wonderful one-on-one time for the boys; a real chance for them to connect as father and son. But it would be one long ride over to Azalea Town, and Jay was anxious enough to go as far as Pewter with Ash. Keeping a child contained all by oneself on a train ride to another region would be a chore in itself, and the man wasn't sure if he was capable of watching Ash like a Fearow without Delia around to be an extra set of eyes.

It would be grueling. Then again, once they arrived in the peaceful town they'd probably be pleased they made the long journey over.

"We'd order in semi-healthy food," Jay corrected with a sneer.

Before any more comebacks could be thrown across the room, the maid who took Jay and Delia's coats entered in with her arms tucked behind her back. She was there to announce the same thing she did every other night.

"Dinner is ready Mrs. Ketchum," the woman stated formally.

"Thank you, Henrietta." The maid gave another prompt nod and returned to her duties in the kitchen. From there, Emily rose from her seat and gave one last firm glare at Jay. It was a look she gave him when he had refused to submit to his piano lessons for an hour. "You're going to Johto and that's final. I'll have your father pick up some train tickets for the two of you a week in advance and I will inform Nana Esther of your arrival. Now," she went on, strutting in away with her glass balanced in her hand, "shall we have dinner?"

"We shall!" Annie replied for them all, bouncing off the couch. "Gary! C'mon honey, dinner's ready," she beckoned, holding out her hand for her son to join her. "Let's go wash our hands."

"Kay, Mommy!" he surprisingly didn't put up a fuss and took hold of his mother's grip, having them exit from the room.

"Dinner?" Richard perked up like a hungry Growlithe, finally tossing his paper to the side. "Is it seven already?" he asked, pulling back his sleeve to check his watch.

His wife only sighed and journeyed out of the room. "Yes, come along Richard."

So as the older man followed through with his wife's orders, Chad tagged along beside him, rubbing his hands together, famished and thrilled to know food was sitting on the table. Food that was ready to be dumped into his empty stomach. "Finally! I'm starved! It's nothing weird though right, Em?" he dared to ask.

Their voices grew faint as they finally entered in the dining room, leaving the ears of those who still sat in the living room able to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation.

"Weird?" she repeated with a strange look upon her face. "What would you define as _weird_?"

Delia and Jay were still seated in the now almost empty living room, staring off with agape mouths, then exchanged a mixed look with one another. Emily's order of Jay heading off to Johto with Ash was certainly startling and the couple couldn't believe how she trotted off like the matter was settled with agreement. Eventually, Ash came up to his befuddled parents, tugging on Jay's pant leg and when he wouldn't budge, the boy flew right into the dining room shouting, "Mommy, Daddy, let's eat!"

The couple remained looking at each other. Stunned at how all those wild discussions were produced that night and the result of all of them. And now, they were roped into some of those very results.

If only they still had their appetites, maybe they'd feel compelled to join everyone at the dinner table.

* * *

Jay and Delia were relieved to get out of the nuthouse.

Not a moment after they finished dinner did the pair stay longer. Once they said their goodbyes and repeated promises of making dinner again another Sunday, the couple headed towards their truck. Jay acted as if he had a breath of fresh air the moment they stepped outside. He wasn't sure if he could have handled another minute with his mother with her wild conversations and continuous jabs. And Ash was through with his playtime. He and Gary behaved quite well through dinner and even when they said bye. There was no whining, no crying, no tattling, nothing. The adults were acting out more so than the boys, though even with the little squabbles that sparked between the grown-ups, Jay was relieved Ash kept his cool and Gary minded his manners.

The night would have been perfect if Emily hadn't opened her big mouth, and the repercussions of it fell upon a snoring Ash and a sleepy-eyed Delia. Once Jay buckled Ash in the back seat of the truck, the boy fell fast asleep. However it was hard for him to doze between the bumpy rugged road and Jay's persistence on discussing the evening.

_Loudly._

"Could you believe my mother tonight?" he groaned, his hands tightly bound on the steering wheel.

A flash of lights skimmed across Jay's eyesight, blurring him for a moment as he drove along. He scoffed to himself quietly and tapped his fingers on the wheel in irritation as the opposite car traveled on.

Delia could see the tension build up within him. "Actually she wasn't as bad as I thought she was going to be," she said gazing out the window.

"I mean, who gave her the right to tell us when we should have more kids and when we shouldn't? We can have a baby when we feel like it!" his thundering voice boomed, bouncing off the doors of the cramped truck. "You're no baby-making machine! And who gives her the right to tell me where I am going to go this summer and what I am going to do? Maybe I'm not ready to take Ash to Johto! Do you want him to go to a region he has never been to before?! Without _you_?!"

Of course she didn't. Delia preferred to be by Ash's side on vacations like that. And yes, she wasn't set on Ash wandering to Azalea Town even _with_ his dear father accompanying him. It just didn't feel right. Her not being there to look out for him, especially after seeing how much stress her husband was bottling up would be very troublesome for the young mother. Though with night falling, Delia couldn't muster the energy to make a final decision. They were exhausted after a long weekend with some unresolved matters and they had a few weeks to ponder over it. They didn't need to decide on anything just then.

"We haven't finalized anything, Jay," Delia reminded calmly. "It's nothing to get riled up over."

"I know, I know!" he waved one of his hands in the air, then slammed it back down on the wheel. Then he breathed heavily through his nose. "It's just whenever I'm around her, she makes me feel like I have no breathing room, and then I start defending myself and back talking like I'm a teen again, because she cannot seem to comprehend the word 'space'!"

"You get very sarcastic when you're around her."

"Exactly! It's like I can't help but retort something right back to her! Gah! I don't understand her logic! She was the one who was against us getting married! She practically did everything in power to prevent it from happening, and now she wants us to have another baby? And did you hear the way she said, shockingly?! Like we're convicts or something!"

Delia could see Ash's eyes squint through the mirror hanging above the front window and soon, his head dove to the side, whimpering softly. He was trying to get some rest. "Lower your voice."

Jay did lower his hollering a notch, though he wasn't finished blowing off some steam. "For crying out loud the woman friggin' disowns me, but she still insists I come to those pointless dinners of hers every other Sunday and give her more grandchildren?! What kind of sick, twisted thinking is that?!"

"Well, maybe she sees we are cut out for a married lifestyle."

"And don't get me started on my father! Oblivious!" Jay went on dumbfounded and fed up all at once. "Completely oblivious to everything! It's absolutely stupefying how uninvolved he is with not only my mom, but his own kids! I don't understand how a man with such a high education and occupation can go around with his head in the clouds! I swear," he groaned, "the only things that can hold his attention are his paperwork and magazines with women all over them! If he actually paid attention to her, maybe she'd keep her nose out of everyone's business-"

"I'm not really in the mood to figure out your parents, Jay," Delia cut him off sternly, staring at the road. "They baffle me as much as they do you. And _please_, keep your voice _down_."

He lowered his voice slightly again, and followed through with another scoff and a shake of his head. "I should just call some specialist and have their heads examined. For all I know, my real parents could be normal folks settled in Viridan and reside in the middle class and instead, they got stuck with some crazy child!"

"I'm sure they're your parents, Jay." Not sure._ Positive_. "There are physical attributes and some personality traits that support it," Delia stated, his shouting wearing on her nerves.

"So I am the crazy child?" he snapped, both in paranoia and fury.

That's not what she meant! His hysterical behavior was way out of hand.

"Jay, relax and watch the road!" his wife finally burst as she motioned towards the path ahead, then she slapped her hand back on her leg in exasperation. "You're not like your parents! There might be some things that remind me of them, but no. No, you are not your parents. If you were I wouldn't be married to you."

"That's comforting," he frowned with a snort.

A moment of silence took hold of the drive home, and Delia's eyes wandered aimlessly to her now focused husband. She understood the pressure and anxiety baggage he carried since birth. Jay had never fit in with his parents' lifestyle nor did he agree with them on many subjects. And he especially hated it when they threw out their opinions or desires, like Emily had done that night.

Yet they were his folks, and as much as Jay liked to deny it, he couldn't make them magically disappear. And to a point, Emily's wish was reasonable. They were decent parents, and the couple had originally discussed having two children to complete their little family. But that was four years prior to now, and with Jay's pay increasing, his work piled up more and more, the demand and the strain wore on him. So discussing the possibility of adding an additional member ceased.

Deep down though, Delia longed to cradle another baby in her arms and create more precious moments with not only her and Jay, but Ash, and his hypothetical sibling. It was something she truly wanted, and believed that Jay did too. But she had to consider everything, not rely on wishful thinking alone. As for Jay, his logical reasoning on everything wasn't always befitting to hearing out his wife's wishes. He had to contemplate how having a baby would make _them_ happy, would make Delia happy instead of focusing on finances and looking at it as another burden to add to their long list of responsibilities.

Inhaling a deep breath, Delia's gaze did not lift as she asked bluntly, "Are you really set against us not having another baby?"

Delia knew what this tantrum was all about. It wasn't that he didn't want to have a baby, it was that Jay didn't like to hear someone tell him what to do and when he should do it, and he was especially uncooperative when he had massive amounts of pressure already on came with that were worries of not living up to the idealistic wishes and ultimately failing.

Jay's tense expression faded quickly, and his icy eyes began to melt. "No," he sputtered, his tone calming. "No- I'm just not sure if we would be rushing into anything."

"Rushing? We've waited nearly_ six_ years, Jay. I don't think we're rushing at all."

"Well," he sighed, "if you really want to... I will."

"Jay, it doesn't work that way!" she groaned in a low whisper. "We _both_ have to want this."

Ash's existence was certainly an unexpected but happy surprise for the couple those six years ago. Only three months into their marriage, and they were already planning the arrival of a baby. A baby in which Jay had no clue about raising. He was a nervous wreck, panicking, constantly fearing about what could happen to Delia when those hospital doors opened. Not to mention, their money situation. He had to work double time to make sure there was enough set aside for their child and for all the expenses Delia needed through her pregnancy and the hospital bill on top of that.

But after those nine long months, it was so worth it. They had a son, a son they both loved to death and wouldn't trade for the world. Ash was quite the sweetie and even when he did misbehave, they were always able to resolve the issue. He wasn't as big a handful in the disobedient department as some other children. Sure, the boy was inquisitive and adventurous, but there wasn't a mean bone in his body. He was what they dreamed of having, and maybe, it'd be nice to create another little dream once more.

So what was holding Jay back?

Pausing for a moment, Jay exhaled deeply through his nose. "Look, it's not that I don't," he started seriously. "You know I love Ash more than the world, I just can't help but think what if- I'm not cut out for raising two kids? I'm already working a lot and I'm afraid I won't be able to make time for another one. I can hardly make time for you and Ash."

So that was the problem. He was letting fear control him, something that he had to battle his entire childhood. Jay was always worried he wouldn't be able to fall through with his promises and make Delia happy, even behind that charming grin and confident stride. The last thing he wanted was to be an utter failure, and after being told he needed to work harder and harder and harder by his parents, it was only natural for him to doubt himself.

But Delia knew his potential.

Mrs. Ketchum's eyes softened as she lovingly placed her hand on his leg. "Of course you can," she assured in a tender tone. "Just because we have work that doesn't mean you'll forget about the other child. People make it work all the time Jay, and they have twice as many kids as we do!" Her lips began to form an affectionate smile and Jay could see her expression lighten from the corner of his eye. "You're really the best dad a kid could ask for. You're more nurturing than most men, you're thoughtful, mature, patience is another thing, but you do give Ash undivided attention.

"Honey," her hand was now running softly through his dark locks, "you're worrying way too much. I wouldn't just ask _anyone_ to be the father of _my_ children."

Jay was quite the catch, and he was definitely a rare find, especially in the small reclusive town of Pallet. The once ditzy farm girl was infected with an uncontrollable rush of giddiness when the handsome, charismatic, and unique boy, Jayce Ketchum, noticed her at school. And _pursued_ her.

Jay's eyes brightened excitedly as he threw an alluring grin in his wife's direction. "I do like the sound of that and I_ would_ like to give it another go around after our failed attempt Friday night."

Sadly though, Delia had to let him down. "Not tonight, honey," she replied as her hand left the knots of his unruly hair to cover her yawn. "I'm tired, and Ash has school tomorrow."

"We could keep it down," he went on persuading with a twinkle in his eye.

Then, Delia released a mix of a scoff and a laugh. "And I thought you said we were rushing?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **

First off, I would just like to say I am super sorry about how long it took me to write this chapter. It was a huge headache and a lot of dialogue exchange to come up with. Plus this month has just been hectic. But I hope you guys enjoyed it! I worked very hard to keep it flowing as nicely as I could. By the way, it's the longest chapter I have ever written!

Also things will start to move a bit faster by chapter five. There's still a little more to delve into so please bare with me. I hope the Ketchums held your interest!

So thank you all for reading, and as always, reviews are appreciated. :) _And_, have a Happy Halloween!


	4. Building Blocks and Strides

**Silently Broken**

**Chapter Four**

_Building Blocks and Strides_

The first week of tackling Project F flew by. Jay's now assembled team had made great strides in their persisted progress, already settling on a logo design and cover for the various bag sizes of food. Samples of the fire type Pokémon food had been taken down for trials, and with sheer determination and quick thinking, everything was pulling together flawlessly. Jay even brought in his fire type Pokémon, Vulpix and Rapidash, so the workers could survey which concoction of the developing food they preferred. Since they were Jay's Pokémon, it was much easier to figure out their dislikes and wants compared to a fresh batch of random newly caught creatures. They were so well cooperative and had given the team so many clues on what could be fixed, that the graphic designer of the bunch offered Jay the chance to have his Pokémon stamped on the food bag. Of course he humbly agreed without hesitation.

However, even with all their trials and errors and rebounds of overcoming all sorts of run in s, every worker on the team was burnt out. Thankfully though, Friday had arrived and each and every teammate found themselves rejoicing in its weekly debut. Jay in particular was thrilled to see the weekend encroach closer. He had dedicated all of his nights that week to the office, not having one meal with his wife and son. Instead he was forced to buy dinner out with his fellow employees, eating out of takeout boxes, and wondering what delectable homemade food Delia placed on the table back home.

He did however have to bring his work to a close, driving a one to two hour drive home and slipping back in the house silently towards midnight. He then followed through with the same routine by taking a quick five minute shower before finally colliding with the bed, while he tried ever so carefully not to disrupt his sleeping wife with his great thud of exhaustion. It was really the only time he was able to catch a glimpse of his beloved, and though his eyes were dreary, the blurry image he was able to capture of this love was enough to ease his urges.

After discussing the untouched subject of bringing another baby into the family, the matter had been rattling in the back of his mind. As much as he felt pressured to make his girl happy and expand their small family, now wasn't the time. The massive amounts of daily work piling on his desk, managing their finances, and groceries, and now Project F... Jay had to be honest. He couldn't handle another demand to be placed on his shoulder s. At least not till the project was completed and hopefully the promotion placed in his hands in the form of cash.

Until then, talk of making a baby had ceased. However, Jay promised Delia the idea wasn't fully terminated. It would just have to be put on hold for the time being.

Finally having a chance to flee from his scrambling workers and constant questions, Jay retired back to his private office. With Grace. She too had been enduring long hours and hardly any time for a coffee break, answering calls every other few minutes, handing out notes, _taking_ notes, and anything else they found for her to do. The full figured woman kept her composure quite well after working at _Element Endurance_ for so long, as did Jay thanks to his slight genetic trait of being a workaholic. Even when they felt like they were going to collapse, the two always put on big smiles and chipper dispositions whenever Steve strolled by. Though the second the elevator doors closed and sent him to another level, their grins instantaneously dropped as they went on their merry way back to the drawing board.

Plopping down in a chair, Jay released a sigh. He had been on his feet all day, and he could feel his soles ache every time he took a step. He was enjoying the moment of silence, the only sound being Grace's pen swiveling away on some last minute note, and the roaring of a massive copier machine down the hall. However, the man couldn't soak in his semi- quiet time for too long, as a loud ring was produced from the phone, jolting Jay to a fully awake state.

Grace swiftly dropped her pen and dove for the phone beside her, answering it with a forced upbeat tone. "Jayce Ketchum's office," she said, then paused to listen to the caller. Jay let his head fall back, dreading in his mind what the call could be about. Hoping it wasn't one of his workers, begging for him to return to their work room for assistance. "All righty, I will let him know, thank you."

Him. It wasn't a surprise the message was for Jay, and almost instantly he rose from his seat, thinking he was needed to attend to some matter that wasn't even as dire as it seemed.

"That was your wife," Grace informed with a tired smile and with a loud thud the man plopped back down in his chair. "Such a sweet thing-"

Jay found enough strength to bare a grin as well, a very weak one at that. "That's why I married her," he explained wittily with a sparkle in his droopy eyes. "So," he then continued, cutting to the chase, "did she need something?"

"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "She's at Ash's school for a meeting, so she just wanted to let you know where she was."

A puff of air flew from the man's mouth as he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple. "The meeting I can't attend." He didn't need to be reminded of that.

The whole not being able to attend the meeting ordeal, had been pestering Jay's subconscious. He knew how much Delia wished he'd accompany her, even though she hadn't made a big deal about it, his untimely absence gnawed at the man's nerves. He did not only want to be there to support Delia and show Ms. Town they were both dedicated parents, but to be there for Ash's well-being. He knew his kid wasn't perfect, _no one_ was perfect, but he couldn't stand to let his normally behaved child be accused of something he didn't do nor start. He was well aware his son had a mischievous streak, for he had been a witness to it, however Ash would have never provoked Gary to do such- strong act s. Or would he?

Jay's mind was scrambled. On one hand, he felt pressed to blame Annie and Chad for the entire problem, though on the other, the man wondered if it was something on his and Delia's part. Had they done something wrong? Had they made their son too big of softie, or the complete opposite? Did he egg Gary on or was he innocently caught in the mix? It could have been either, anything could have happened! They weren't bad children, but their behavior was reflecting what their parents taught them and allowed them to do.

The secretary found his words troubling, forming a frown with a crinkle of her forehead. "What do you mean by that?"

"Grace, do you see what time it is?" he asked, gesturing towards the clock.

The round woman spun her chair around to eye the ticking device hanging high on one of the walls, then she swiveled back to face him. "It's exactly three o'clock," she blinked.

"And how late are we working tonight?" Jay went on questioning, hoping Grace was catching on to what he was attempting to convey.

"Till six."

"Precisely. So if it's three right now and we don't get off work till six then-"

"We still have three more hours of work?"

_Seriously_? How more obvious did he have to be?

"Yes- but no!" Jay smacked his forehead and ran his hand through his hair with frustration, then smeared his fingers across his cheek. Then he breathed heavily trying to keep his composure without exploding on his clueless secretary. "The point is," he calmed down between heavy breaths, "I can't make it to this meeting because I'm working during those hours."

She frowned again, though this frown displayed concern. "Is this meeting important?"

"_Very_ important."

The meeting was supposed to entail the deliberate acts between the boys and the hysteria they were causing in the classroom. It was getting out of hand, worse than usual, and Jay did not wish to see it escalate any further. Though he could not show any of his concerns to Ms. Town if he was not present. He did, however, trust that his wife would lay out their opinions and observations on the matter, but his absence wouldn't look good on his part. He didn't want to be labeled as the 'uninvolved parent'.

"Ash has been having some problems with- a kid at school," that was the safest way to put it, "and his teacher wanted to call a meeting about it. Delia was disappointed when I told her I couldn't make it, I felt awful." The man released a heavy sigh from there before rubbing his temple with great vigor. Then a mumble slipped between his teeth. "All because of this damn project..."

The eyebrows of the round woman soon fell at the sight of the conflicted man. Grace was not a parent herself, yet she understood how much dedication Jay had put forth towards his family, and how it was difficult for him to shrug his untimely absence at the meeting. By the tone of his voice and his facial expression, the secretary was also beginning to see the importance of it all not just because Jay cared about his child, but because of the subject at hand.

Not hesitating for another minute, Grace suddenly asked nonchalantly, "Why don't you just leave?"

Jay's fingers liberated his rubbed temple as his eyebrows seeped further together. He squinted his eyes in disbelief. "Did you not hear what I just said-"

"I heard every word, Jayce. Now go," she flew her hand at the door.

This was unbelievable. Jay shook his head before flashing his blue eyes back at her with confusion. "What?"

"Go, I'll cover for you."

"You can't be serious. That's like suicide!"

It wasn't that easy. Leaving high and dry on an operation like Project F would be hard to escape from, much less if one did, face the repercussions. Jay had already promised the company a great deal of his time, and cutting any of it short, might show his dedication wasn't as strong as Steve believed it to be. That would certainly be a misinterpretation.

"It's fine, go. We weren't even going to stay late tonight anyway."

"But I'm in charge of the team, Grace." His voice rumbled with sheer worry and persistence to not let this little scheme be born. "I think they'll notice if the guy who's running this operation has hightailed and ran. They might panic without me leading the front. If anyone, _anyone_ notices I took off early I could lose-"

She huffed at his terror of the events that could occur from his early departure. "Don't be such a worrywart. You've covered for me on several occasions. It's the least I could do."

"Arrgh, but I-"

"Listen, I'll tell Steve your stomach's been bothering you and that you had to head home," Grace compromised calmly. "Just don't stop by at the grocery store where people will notice you're out and you'll be fine."

"Thanks Mom," Jay snorted, "and make sure to get all my homework too."

"It'll be fine!"

She couldn't stand his declining of her help. It was a golden opportunity to fly the coop yet the black feathered bird was resisting the takeoff. It was only normal to expect Jay to be dedicated to his work, fixated about what could unravel if he took off on a whim at such a dire time. The undeviating conflict of balancing his demanding job and his duties as a father were truly agonizing, however, Grace wished he would let the apprehension slip from his grip, and venture to the meeting for his little boy's sake.

Anxiety churned in Jay's gut, almost making the lie of a stomachache come to life. "I can't just waltz out of here with a 'stomach problem'!" he finally bellowed, flashing wide eyes at her. "No one gets off the hook that easily-"

"Then I'll make it sound life threatening!" she hissed, her tone displaying the wearing of her patience. Grace then raised her hand in the air and proceeded to shoo him to the door, pleading for him to race to the elevator before their plan was ruined. "Now scat, before Steve comes or someone else!"

Jay's head jerked forward to the door but his feet stayed intact, making an impression in the worn carpet. His chance of slithering out of _Element Endurance_ unscathed sounded very appealing however, was it a chance he was willing to take? The man let a large lump rest in his throat as he stared at the closed door, almost like he and the inanimate object were having a staring contest. He had expressed his desires of wanting to attend the urgent meeting for both his son and his wife and it wasn't everyday Grace willingly would offer to cover his tracks.

The raven haired man let the lump slide down in one final gulp. It was now or never.

Jay threw a glance behind his shoulder before taking off. A smile sprouted from his lips, implying his decision was made. "Thanks, Grace." Slipping away with every silent step of his feet, Jay closed the door with a twist of the knob and hurried down the hall to greet the elevator doors.

As for Grace, she basked in the silence of the room as well as her full proof. Jay had gotten her out of many jams before, and the woman had meant to repay her debts to her co-worker for all the times he covered for her not so wise absences. After he exited from the room, she started stacking large groups of papers evenly, smiling to herself at the ingenious plan. The peaceful moment of quietness didn't sink into the atmosphere entirely for Grace's tight grin loosened with a quiver at the sound of the door creaking open and a voice calling behind it.

"Ah, Grace!"

The secretary spun with a jump, and cringed a nervous grin at the bald man. Steve spooked her half to death in the middle of her organizing. She wasn't expecting him to stop by right after Jay took off. But there he was; ironically standing in the doorway with a calm expression, his eyes peering at the disheveled office. With the office's untidiness their boss was certain Grace and Jay were doing their job considering they never had enough time to clean the place.

He smiled even wider at that.

Approaching her casually, the man's eyes had not finished skimming the area of the room. "Where is your partner in crime?" he asked.

Apparently, Jay had made it down the elevator stealthily before Steve could spot him, and Grace assumed their boss was on the same floor, down the hall to be precise, checking on other workers in their offices.

With shaky eyes she darted away from Steve's gaze, gulping. "Oh, h-he's not feeling well!" Grace finally confessed, still grinning nervously only with a ramble to inflate the lie. "He's had stomach problems all day so I told him just to sign out and head home. You know, he told me it was bothering him early this morning, but he stuck it through. Jayce knows how important this project is, but I don't think if he's this queasy he should be around other staff members. We all could get sick and uh- what if he puked on all our uh- documents?"

The fibbing woman anticipated his response with another lump sitting in her throat uneasily as Steve produced a couple of blinks. "A simple explanation of him leaving early would have been fine," he said bluntly. Grace could feel her heartbeats ease up at his words, her breath finally pouring from her mouth in soft pants.

"But you're right," Steve went on professionally, "if he's that sick we don't need him here. The team should be all right without him for the remaining hours, after all I must say, I am certainly pleased and surprised how well the project has been coming along. Besides, Jayce's not the kind of guy to use his sick days that often anyway. I think he has the most saved out of everyone!"

The sneaky secretary was more than glad to see her little fabrication fly right over their boss's head. Steve might have been in charge of the entire building and kept everything running smoothly, but he wasn't what one would define as sharp.

"P-probably!" she chortled uncomfortably, her sweaty fingers grasping the now moist papers.

"But huh, he did say he'd be recovered by Monday?" Steve clarified, lacking warmth but instead acquired a more serious tone. "If he needs to be gone longer there could be a problem-"

"Oh, no! He'll be back!" Grace answered speedily with a few small shakes of her head. "He just needed to rest up for Monday! Jayce's such a good man he took some of his work _home_ with him! No sir, I'm certain he will be healthy as Miltank when he arrives Monday."

Steve's lips returned to smile once more, slapping his hands at his sides. "Well then, if Jayce's gone till then I need you to fill in in his shoes. You have all his notes, it should be a cinch for you. So, take charge for the next three hours will ya, Grace?"

With a pat of her shoulder, the woman who she once perceived herself to be clever, was frozen stiff. Grace was caught in her own web. "I'd love to," she replied with a lack of emotion as Steve strolled out of the room.

Grace didn't get to release a sigh of relief and feel the bliss of it exhale from her dried cracked lips. Now the plump overly-helpful woman understood why Jay was stressed to the max. That load of papers piled away on his desk made her cringe with both fear and exhaustion. She hadn't gotten started and she was already wiped out. She didn't even know where to start! The only thing that was going to calm her down now was applying a heaping slab of her mulberry lipstick. However, Grace was unable to locate it at the present time.

* * *

Delia's head shot up at the ticking clock. Nearly fifteen minutes had passed since her arrival, and both she and Ms. Town waited idly by in silence for the other party to arrive. The premise of the meeting was to discuss the altercations between Ash_ and_ Gary, and Delia failed to mention to her husband that afternoon of the Oaks' attendance. She had been given the warning of their partaking in the gathering by Ms. Town when she called to confirm their conference and it certainly took her by surprise.

It was nail biting to know it wasn't a one on one session, but more of a one against two with a referee. She had attended several conferences without her husband present in the past, due to work schedules. There was a shortage of confidence and assurance built up in Delia whenever she went alone, though this meeting in particular made her extra nervous.

After the clocked ticked on by, a shadow was cast through the small elongated window on the door. Ms. Town made a surprised expression at her desk, which led Delia to react by twirling in her seat, which sat across from the instructor in an adult sized dark blue chair. She only caught a glimpse of the looming figure, for the doorknob already began to turn, and soon, the presence identified itself without giving Delia a chance to guess who it was.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. Traffic was horrible-"

"J-jay!" Delia sputtered in surprise and excitement. "You- you actually made it! Did um- Steve let you sign out early?"

She couldn't believe it. Jay actually made it! There he was in the flesh, still wearing his nicely ironed work clothes underneath that leather motorcycle jacket of his, with a calm expression. Delia was overwhelmed with his unexpected arrival, nevertheless she was just delighted he made arrangements to venture down to the school. At least she assumed he had.

"Sorta," he casually answered as he closed the door. Then his eyes traveled back and forth between his wife and Ash's teacher. "Have I missed anything?"

"No," Delia replied first.

"We're still waiting for Mr. and Mrs. Oak to arrive," Ms. Town added with a subtle smile.

Her pleasant expression didn't contain Jay's; instead, his swept into a definite frown. "Mr. and Mrs. Oak?" Jay's eyes narrowed as he cast a glum and shocked look, gazing back at his wife while his shoulder's heightened with tension. "You didn't tell me they were coming-"

The corner of Delia's lips sunk at his uncomfortable stance. "I didn't know till earlier today when Ms. Town confirmed our meeting. But it'll be_ fine_. I'm just happy you were able to come."

The muscles in Delia's face relaxed as she was consumed by her husband's sudden entrance, forgetting about his quick temper in regards to the Oaks. She was happy beyond words to see Jay strut through those doors and her heart fluttered with giddiness to know he had 'made arrangements' with Steve for Ash's sake. Project F was certainly a whopper in itself, and Delia couldn't describe how shocked with glee she was to see her tried husband put aside work for once, and journey to the school to support Ash. He was being the perfect husband and dad in this instant.

As Delia smiled up at Jay's face, she invited him to sit beside her with a pat on the empty chair next to her, which he quickly took full advantage of. Her eyes had not cast aside from her devoted husband till a loud and abrupt voice shouted behind the door, catching all three of the adults' attention.

"Come to learn my ABC's again!" Chad bounced in the room excitedly, his wife following behind as she balanced her expensive purse and a fresh hot cup of coffee she just so happened to purchase before coming. Jay scoffed silently to himself, imagining that flimsy cup filled with the caffeinated liquid was the main reason for their delay.

Chad's eyes immediately led to Jay, springing on him with an unexpected pat on the shoulder. "H-hey dude, you made it! Slipped away from Steve?" he nudged playfully.

Jay was in no mood to explain the fabrication Grace masterly invented nor deal with Chad's lighthearted humor. It only made his look of sourness deepen. Jay's posture was stiff, not releasing a flinch from the sudden nudge. "Kind of."

Ms. Town swiftly took over and got down to business with a polite gesture to two empty chairs placed close by the Ketchums. "Mr. and Mrs. Oak, please have a seat."

"Well uh- all right," Chad said, as his hands slapped the side of his pants. His voice did not fall silent however as he and his wife took a seat, only to discover a distinct work of art hanging on a nearby wall. "Hey, is that Gary's artwork on the wall?"

Of course it was. Gary was the only kid who wrote so large, yet so neatly to attract attention in that cluster of kindergarten masterpieces. The overall coloring on the color page appeared to be the work of a third grader, though it was no shock to find Gary's work above his peers. Smiling even wider at his son's strong academic attribute, Chad threw out a compliment, though it was unlikely Gary earned such talent by his father's little involvement. "Boy is my kid talented! He can color inside the lines-"

No longer able to hold it in, Jay released a roll of his eyes. The meeting wasn't called to praise Gary and all his coloring glory. "So can many other kindergartners," he reminded, his arms diving to his sides, crossing over his chest tightly.

Ms. Town eyed both the men with a faint sight of concern before starting the meeting, almost the same look she gave her students when a confrontation was about to break out. The men had quieted down relatively well, giving the woman a chance to get the meeting rolling. There was however, a bit of anticipation still lingering in her eyes.

Jay sat almost childishly, pondering on about something no one in the room could identify. Except Delia. She eyed him with a particular 'don't start it' look, though his subtle way of avoiding her obvious eye contact was making it hard to get the message across. Delia bit down on her tongue as she felt a surge of Jay's low tolerance of the situation cruise through her own body with definite discomfort.

With a steady gaze and a steady inhale of air, Ms. Town finally started the meeting. "Now, I would like to start by saying-"

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

The instructor's head snapped over at Jay, taken aback by his outburst. She never found Mr. Ketchum to be so rude and impolite. He was always the kind of man she envisioned who held doors open for other people, triple-checked his son had everything he needed before taking off to work, who always spoke with cordial tone. This was the side of him Ms. Town had not seen. She should have expected as much, considering what tension the gathering would bring not to mention, the people within it. She had never had a set of cousins who had so many encounters of squabbling, nor did she have two sets of parents who argued so bluntly and brutally.

Annie's blue eyes flickered over at her brother's, lowering her eyebrows. "I didn't want Mom in our business."

Her answer wasn't enough to silence Jay. "Yeah, but you could have pulled me aside or left me a message. But no!" he blurted out dramatically. Delia's eyes widened immensely as her husband ranted, feeling a sharp pain collect in her now throbbing head. She didn't expect him to blow up in_ front_ of Ms. Town. It was clear as day to her that he was taking out his frustrations of work as well as the Oaks, without even pondering over the consequences. The overly logical Jayce Ketchum had been pushed to his limits to explode in such a public location.

"Instead you had Ms. Town drop the bomb on Delia!" he accused, waving his finger at her fiercely. "You knew I wouldn't be able to make it, and it was just the perfect chance for you two to corner her! She would have had no chance at winning-"

"What are you talking about?!" Annie cried, raising her voice to challenge her brother's. "This isn't about winning and I am- _we_," the blonde woman corrected swiftly, pointing to herself and Chad, "are not vindictive! I was unsure if I was even going to attend this meeting till one of my clients canceled! And luckily, Chad was able to leave work early! Just like _you_."

He huffed out a loud scoff, intentionally wishing for his remark to be overhead. "I should have figured..."

It was nonsense. Absolute bull crap. Jay knew Annie too well after spending nine months in the womb with her and eighteen years of his life living under the same roof. They'd do anything to make sure Gary wasn't accused of such forms of bullying. Even if it meant cancelling their precious appointments. That much they did. There was no doubt in Jay's mind that Annie and Chad looked at Gary like he was the next prodigy of Pallet, putting him in every town holiday pageant, having him star as the leading role in every single damn play. Never mind Ash, who as forced to be strapped in a pumpkin costume or dressed as one of the native tribal people of Kanto while Gary played a pigheaded pilgrim at the age of four.

Ms. Town's soft spoken voice was starting to stir with thickness, producing a subtle stern tone. "Mr. Ketchum, Mrs. Oak, may we continue?" she asked sharply with slightly furrowed brows.

Her attempt at calling for the adults' attention did no good, for Annie only rampaged on with irritation, not letting her brother have the last word. "Don't you, 'I should have figured' me!" she snarled in return, leaning forward to glare at Jay with her purse tightly placed in her lap. "You're being completely obstinate about this!"

"You're the one who didn't respond to _our_ messages! There was no excuse for that!"

"How about I have a busy schedule? I hardly can make any time to answer my phone calls!"

Another snort leaped from Jay's mouth as he flicked a roll of his eyes away from his defensive sister. "Well that explains a lot."

Annie's face turned from agitated to serious. "Explains _what_, Jay?"

Delia's chest rose up and down rapidly and was unfortunately noticed by the silent Ms. Town and Chad. She kept her lips tightly shut as she watched the horrid scene unfold right before her eyes, though it was becoming unbearable for her to sit there quietly like she wasn't in the room. She did not blame her vexed husband for calling Annie out on her bad communicational skills. There was however, a boundary that had been crossed and Delia did not find it ideal to have such an argument take place in front of their children's instructor. It was beyond humiliating.

Observing Delia's quivering lips, shaky eyes, and dancing heart, Ms. Town took it upon herself to calm down the enraged parents one last time. Almost in a begging tone. "Mrs. Oak, please-"

"Why Gary acts the way he does."

Delia's head fell straight into her sweaty hands. She didn't want Jay to elucidate and entertain Annie on his snide comment. Not even her hunched posture stopped Jay from keeping his big mouth shut, and it was only a matter of time before Ms. Town got the wrong impression. Of the _both_ of them.

Annie's fierce expression quickly dissipated into an exhausted one, turning her head away childishly from her brother. "I don't want to hear this..."

"Gary is deprived of attention, Annie," Jay stated bluntly, finally lowering his voice. "He needs you and Chad to be more involved and he gets jealous of other kids who have that attention-"

"Are you saying I am an ill-fit mother?!"

The claws were unleashed. Annie's eyes darted back at Jay, pausing only for a split second before yelling at him with such hysteria. Chad about shared the same look of distraught that Delia bared, though his look wasn't nearly as tense as hers. He had sent a few gulps down his throat as he anxiously awaited the spat to end, though by the looks of it, the quarrel wasn't going to end anytime soon unless by divine intervention.

As the tension built wildly, Delia took hold of her skirt, squinting with a silent beg of her husband to fall silent. _Please don't..._

To her dismay, Jay leaned forward and produced a sneer. "If the shoe fits-"

Finally, not being able to contain their bottled anxiety, both Delia and Chad cried in unison, almost pleading for the madness to end. "Jay, Annie! Stop it right now!"

Jay fell silent. Annie fell silent. As for their spouses, they panted out a few heavy breaths and a few disapproving looks in their directions. They were just as upset over the situation as Annie and Jay, and wished for it all to be resolved peacefully. And rightfully so, Chad and Delia felt inclined to throw their two cents in too. They just weren't planning on getting caught up in their spouses' clash, consisting nothing more than another typical brother sister dispute.

"I'm so sorry for my husband's outburst, Ms. Town," Delia apologized with sheer sincerity. It was like she had to manage her husband before he really turned into a full blown defiant ten year old. "Please, continue."

"Well um- t-thank you." The woman was stunned by how swiftly Mrs. Ketchum hushed her short-sighted spouse and the barking command that leaped from the angelic woman's throat only furthered Ms. Town's baffled state. The instructor had a newfound respect for the working mother.

"Now I have my concerns about your boys," the kindergarten teacher finally addressed after she was sure everyone had settled down. "Both Gary and Ash put forth a lot of effort in their assignments and usually like to help with our little chores around here. They help pick up any crayons left out, collect papers, pick up any wrappers or crumpled paper on the floor." This not only made Ms. Town smile, but the proud mothers in the room as well. "Plus, Gary is so gifted with coloring as you can see," she gestured towards the vibrant wall pinned with crooked pieces of paper. Then a bite of Ms. Town's lip followed as she almost uneasily eyed the Ketchums with a meek grin. Her eyes soon led over towards Ash's beautiful creation- or so to speak- which was easily spotted. "As for Ash well- he could use some more work with staying in the line, but he's definitely... creative. Very inspirational to the other students."

Jay briefly squinted at his son's work, trying to identify what in the world the little guy was hoping to convey. "I don't even know what the hell that is..." he mumbled, squinting even harder.

"It's a Pidgey!" exclaimed Delia. "Can't you see that?"

As if it was that obvious. Jay looked to his wife, then at the mounted picture once more only to find fault with the work of art. "No. It's not anatomically correct. How can it have such a large wing span?"

It wasn't too long after Delia released a soft groan at Jay's analysis, did Chad set free an abrupt snort. "Some artist you got there..."

Like he had room to talk. It was a miracle Gary came out as intellectual as he did for neither Annie nor Chad were ones for committing to homework when they attended school. Popularity and cheer-leading were Annie's biggest concern, and all Chad cared about was how much he could get away with in regards to his chores in the lab and beating the next level of _PAC-Man_. And to throw in for good measure, neither one of Gary's folks were stellar artists. Much less deserved to be deemed as artists.

"They're a pleasure to have in class overall, and I think they'll do fine when they move to first grade. What I am concerned about is their interaction," Ms. Town informed, her warm tone now fading into a thick lather of seriousness. "Not so much with other classmates, but with each other. At least three times a week there is some kind of interruption between the two. Usually it doesn't escalate to anything severe, however, this last time with Ash's toy certainly surprised me.

"I have tried to talk to the two about why this back and forth bickering goes on," she explained, which only caused the tiredness in her eyes to appear all the more, "but as you can see with a classroom of twenty plus children, it's hard for me to do so. I don't want their education jeopardized because they simply can't get along, and I'm sure none of you want that as well. Can anyone point out maybe why this keeps happening?"

A slight motion of a hand raise caught Ms. Town's wandering eyes. She smiled at the hesitant parent among the four.

"May I speak?" Chad asked, and everyone's eyes soon fell upon the volunteer.

"Of course, Mr. Oak."

He first adjusted his throat, and then with a motion of his hand he made it clear he was going to be blunt. The anticipation rose through all of them, especially his wife. "I'm gonna be real here- I know Gary's a problem. I know he doesn't always listen to Annie and me, and I know he has like- borderline symptoms of being a bully-"

"Chad!"

His eyes darted back at the sound of his wife's shriek. "What?" he exclaimed his defense, his shoulders tensing up. "I read it in a magazine, and a lot of what it said reminded me of Gary. I'm sorry, Ann, but he can't act this way."

Since when was Chad well read? It was remarkable to hear the man declare he had read a magazine, much less something on child development. But at least he was willing to admit there was a problem.

"I don't even know why he does what he does 'cause Jay and I were real close when we were kids. We never fought. So I figured when we had kids they'd want to be friends too. I think I've done everything any other parent would do. He's just got a mean streak in him. He usually is more disrespectful to me than Annie-"

"Because you let him get away with everything."

Chad swiveled his head at his friend, caught off guard by his comment. And he wasn't the only one. Ms. Town tapped her pen on her desk, lowering her eyebrows as if giving him a warning.

"Mr. Ketchum-"

"Dude," Chad started, a slight agitation ridden in his vocal cords, "I just said he's not innocent-"

"I don't care what you said, he needs to be held accountable for his actions or you'll let him run the show." There was deep concern in Jay's eyes and voice for his nephew. "Don't you want Gary to grow-up to be a likeable person?"

The brunette-haired man only avoided the question and scoffed at his opinionated friend. "Well it's not like you're Mr. Perfect Dad! Why don't we talk about Ash?"

Now it was Jay's turn to scoff and sneer. "Oh, give me a break. We don't have near the problems with Ash as you do with Gary-"

"If you guys keep talking things out with him and not give him a time out instead, he's gonna end up being a big crybaby."

Now the tables were turned. The gloves were coming off and if Chad didn't stop right there, Jay was going to clean his clock.

"_Excuse_ me?" Jay balked with an arched brow.

Is this how it was going to be?

"He's so sensitive," Chad acknowledged. "Like a girl, dude, and I think it's 'cause you two don't really deliver a punishment suitable for a boy."

Now he thought he was a well-read, educated individual? So informed he had the nerve to call Ash an overly sensitive mamma's boy who needed to grow a backbone and take flew slugs for the team? Jay felt the sharp wincing jab he had delivered to Annie and Chad times before, and now the stinging pain infiltrated him with bright fury. The grenade was at the end of its rope, and it was about to explode with burning spits of fire.

"Oh so, just because I don't_ swat_ my child on his rear end and tell him to go play little league football and act like a 'man' makes me a bad father?!" Jay's thundering baritone voice echoed through the room in his and Delia's defense, sending chills up everyone's spines. "I read things too Chad! And I'll have you know hitting a child can cause physiological damage and I will not abuse _my_ son to get some stupid point across like not eating cookies before dinner!"

And all Chad could focus on in that speech was: "Little League is baseball, man!"

Jay was about to claw his own eyes out at his high school buddy's stupidity, his fingertips digging in his pant legs, before throwing his hands in the air. "That's beside the whole point! Were you not listening to what I was saying?!"

Apparently not.

Ms. Town then cut in, pleading desperately, "Gentlemen, please-"

"Chad never said hitting was okay, Jay," Annie intervened, defending her husband.

There was nothing that could stop this train wreck. Each couple was at their wits end and now they were feasting off each other with snarls and gibes, overreacting in every way possible. Delia however was the calmest among the four; though with constant lowering of her eyebrows and biting on her tongue nearing its burst of blood, Ms. Town anticipated for the sanest person out of the four to explode in a fit of displeasure like the rest.

"I don't want Ash growing up to be some sexist brute!" Jay continued to bellow, ignoring the signs of his wife's wearing patience. "You should know that Annie. We weren't raised in a household that followed the principals of smacking each other around. He has feelings too like any other kid, and he has every right to express them! There's nothing wrong with a boy being sensitive."

"Obviously," Annie snarled with a fold of her arms and her nose cast up in the air, "because you clearly are."

"Did you ever consider that one of Gary's many problems is that he's not sensitive _enough_?"

That was a consideration the Oaks could chew on. It did appear Gary wasn't as in tune with hurting others feelings as some children were, and the fact that nothing seemed to faze him was a clear indication Annie and Chad were not plentiful in the warmth of caring for others feelings and contemplating on the repercussions of one's actions. Still, he was only six and more than anything, both Jay and Delia were angry with his parents' choices than Gary's actions. It was ultimately their fault, and Delia being the motherly kind had expressed great concern to Annie before about Gary's well-being. She'd hate to see this bright little apple turn sour just because his parents were too damn stubborn to set their work papers aside to give him a little one on one time.

"I let Gary express himself!" Annie cried out, justifying her claim.

"By destroying other people's property!" her brother growled in return.

"You're being hysterical!"

"You spoil him rotten Annie. _You_, intentionally or not, taught him to believe that he's gotta be number one at everything."

The blonde woman gave Jay a dumbfounded expression. "What's wrong with wanting him to excel?"

_Many_ things. Though Jay wouldn't use 'excel' to describe his sightings. The man's judgment wasn't clouded. It was clear as day, and he could see too much of one good thing could overshadow the rest, and create a bigger problem that would be hard to control. Annie and Chad had the habit of reassuring Gary how gifted he was and how great he would be, just by seeing the little things he was successful at. It was their way of making up for the significant time they could have spent with their child instead of running off to work every time their pager went off and handing their son off to his grandpa. So naturally he observed their short conversations and _many_ toys they handed off to Gary out of guilt for not being there. The Oaks were completely oblivious that they were creating a competitive, show off of a six year old. And a coloring page wasn't the first thing Gary turned into a contest.

Besides auditioning at Pallet's annual season and holiday plays, Gary had a strong fascination with Pokémon and what came with that, was collecting every grade level book he could get his hands on about the creatures and rub it in Ash's face on how much his parents showered him with knowledge. There was always this determination to show off, inviting his grandfather, Prof. Oak, on several occasions to do a show and tell event. Samuel of course, brought along some kind of tame Pokémon for the class to see and touch, which only heightened Gary's popularity with the class, and the loss of Ash's friends. It was a very depressing sight to see for both boys. Gary unintentionally was driving Ash's friends away with his connection with his grandpa, and now obtained the kind of affection and attention he longed for. What his parents lacked to provide.

And there was Ash. Gary had forgotten about his cousin, not noticing the boy standing alone with his action figures, no one acknowledging him of his lonely state. Not being able to comprehend Gary's unintentional hurtful motives, Delia's sweet little boy soon turned red in the face as he was consumed by rage and tears. That's when things turned ugly. The raven haired child soon became uncooperative at times during class at random moments, and would sometimes express his muffled concerns with Ms. Town though it was hard for her to understand since his sentences weren't always coherent. At first glimpse, the woman presumed it was nothing more than a silly dispute erupting between the two, but as the months went by and their once friendship started tarnishing, that's when the teacher noticed something different in both boys.

Their disputing had not diminished at this point, and had only heightened at the talk of challenges. Though Annie and Jay's fighting wasn't the only thing that was starting rise with extreme tension.

"Because you can't look at everything like it's a competition!" Jay stated, drilling his word in his sister's head.

Chad then conjured the nerve to speak up again as his wife sighed heavily, gesturing it was his turn to defend. "There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition-"

Then out of nowhere, a once sweet sounding voice erupted into something stern as if this voice naturally demanded for attention and listening ears on a daily basis. "Hey! Listen you two! I have had it up to here with your comments!"

Chad's jaw dropped open at the sight of Delia hovering over the three of them bearing a very crossed look. Her brown eyes lacked that chocolaty warmth hue they tended to have and her usual friendly expression morphed into a firm look with the demand of submission. Chad couldn't imagine this thin, soft spoken woman to have the power to tower over them with such strong force of intimidation. This _rare_ side of Delia however, was not foreign to her now silent husband.

With her hands placed firmly on her hips, Delia directed her attention at Chad. "You're right, Chad. Jay and I are not perfect parents, but we sure try to be," she started; her voice was not nearly as loud as theirs had been, but the tone residing her vocal cords certainly got her message delivered without any questions. "I am fully aware how hard it is to juggle being a working mother, thousands of other parents do it daily. I do love Ash dearly, and I may have a tendency to coddle him, but I would never, _never_ resort to spanking him. Talking things out in my view is the best solution and I don't care how sensitive that makes him. If he has feelings and cares about what he has done to other people and himself and is willing to be held accountable for what good or bad things he has done, then I have done my job as a mother."

Not uttering another word, Delia settled herself back down in her chair leaving Chad wide eyed and stunned. For a woman with such a docile nature, Chad was beginning to see the Delia Ketchum, more like the Delia Parker, he knew when they were tiny tots. The one who always chased the bullies away from the fence line when they threw dirt clods at her daddy's prized bunch of Tauros. The one who sicced her folks' Jolteon on the little snots when her words hardly motivated them to move along. And usually with a harmless tug of the pants and deep growls, the neighborhood kids took off down the road and ten year-old Delia, would go back to brushing her precious fair quality Mareep and milk her mooing Milktank away.

A whistle followed out of Chad's mouth as he recollected those past childhood memories, remembering why he once had a crush on the girl. "Whoa... That was kind of hot."

Annie's blonde locks flew right at him with the turn of her head, and her eyebrows furrowed. "Chad!"

She wasn't the only one ticked off and astounded by his piggish remark. "Mr. Oak!" Ms. Town hollered sharply with an arch of her back. Then she sunk back down in her seat, folding her hands on her desk. "Not to be rude, but I hope you're all finished."

She wasn't messing around any longer, nor was she going to let anyone breathe another word. She called this meeting, and yet she , next to Delia, said the least. However, she had a lot to address. "Now, I think you all have expressed points, even though I hardly got a word in," she threw in with a mutter, "but we need to remind ourselves what is best for the children without squabbling. I would consider thinking _very_ thoroughly on what you'd like to propose before speaking. It would be wonderful to see the boys interact- politely but that is only wishful thinking.

"It's going to take time, which brings me to a proposal." This drew in everyone's attention. Their eyes focused on Ms. Town carefully, enticed by the word proposal with curiosity. Maybe there was a solution after all. "The most I can do for Ash and Gary in the meantime is to keep reinforcing discipline, and I can try to pull some strings and get them in separate homerooms for next year. But that won't terminate the problem entirely."

That sentence rang with a sting. It wouldn't completely make the issue fade away with one strike, but the idea of separating the boys might put their restless minds at peace for a little while. Till they were all on the same page and one was willing to budge for the other.

"I can see you're all very dedicated parents and I would suggest as a teacher, to give the boys what they are lacking, ask them how they feel, and go from there. After all, we humans talk for a reason."

That little reminder brought hope to each individual, and Ms. Town hoped she had left some kind of impression on the defensive parents.

* * *

Jay had tossed and strapped down his motorcycle in the back of Delia's red truck before heading home to the valley of quiet Pallet Town. Delia volunteered to drive home since her husband drove up and down that winding road on a daily basis, and for once he accepted without hesitation. Gazing back at him then down at the road once more, she could see the tiredness cloud his icy eyes, though the crinkle of his forehead and narrowed eyebrows were not helping his not so pleasant expression. He was busy contemplating, staring out the side window. Delia couldn't resist the urge to smile at his little action, Ash did the same pout-like act when things didn't go his way, which only reminded the woman of how much her husband and son _were_ alike.

Not to mention their hyper-sensitivity as another given factor.

Her faint smile quickly diminished as she looked back at the calm road, seeing he was not even bothering to give her a glimpse. "Are you through pouting?"

Jay blew through his nostrils heavily. "No. How can I be?"

Talking to her spouse when he was in a sour state was a chance Delia always took, given he sometimes resisted the slight nudge she gave him so he may slip out of his funk and carry on with the day. It was always a begrudging task to do so with both her boys. They may have been different, but it was hard to overlook their uncanny resemblances and similarities.

"_Jay_," the auburn-haired woman sighed, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. "I understand your frustration-"

"Did you not hear what they said?"

"Did you not hear what Ms. Town said?" she countered in return sharply.

"I heard every word she uttered, Delia, and she was right!" Jay concurred, finally flashing his cold eyes at her. "However, Annie and Chad had the nerve to criticize _us_. Even when we left the classroom! As if they're experts..."

It was a hard situation to crawl away from. Annie was Jay's sister, Chad was his friend, and now a preventable problem knocked on their doors and was let in just because of pure ignorance. After the meeting was called to an end, Annie stormed past her brother without giving him a proper goodbye while Chad stopped Delia and Jay in their tracks, promptly apologizing for everything. He said he still had his views and ideas instilled in his mind, but Chad was the kind of guy who didn't want a disagreement to come between a mutual friendship. He cared about Jay too much, like he was his own brother, and told him he'd think about what he said. As for if Chad would think about it and actually sit down and talk to his wife... well that was up for debate. Following through with anything wasn't Chad Oak's forte.

"It's not like you didn't criticize her either," Delia pointed out. "You and your sister are strong-willed and neither one of you will budge."

"Thank my mother for that," was Jay's reply.

"And that can be a good and a bad thing," she continued. "You both are great workers, you're great people, and now you're using your determination and greatness of proving the other one to be wrong with the children."

In stunned posture, Jay's eyebrows seeped further together. "I am not using Ash. You know as well as I do that Gary has... issues and they can't be overlooked. Sorry if I'm a realistic thinker."

His last remark left an uneasy tension riding in Delia's gut. To a point, Gary's issues needed to be addressed and corrected promptly before further damage occurred, however, some of the back and forth bickering was nothing more than Jay getting ticked off with Annie's behavior. They were using the kid's behavior as an excuse to holler at one another for not replying to messages or for not handling their fussy child in a certain manner. Plus, it didn't help both of them were very protective of their prized sons, and in a sense, Jay didn't want to hear of Ash's bad habits outside of Delia or her folks only because it stressed him out at the thought of him possibly being an inadequate parent.

In the end, it was nothing more than the game of 'I'm right and you're wrong'.

A sigh left Delia's throat. "You're missing the point."

"No I am not missing the point, Delia," her husband snapped. "What they're doing is inane! If we had Gary for a week he'd shape up real fast. I am not going to tolerate my son being harassed by a three and a half foot six year old!" he then followed with another scoff before drifting his eye sight out towards the yonder away from the swift moving vehicle. "Or his uninformed parents..."

Jay was a hell of persuader and Delia could feel herself teetering to her love's view all the more. At times, she could have sworn he was more of the overprotective of the two than her, then again, it probably didn't help he was much more informed and logical than Annie and Chad combined. His temper rose at the slightest idiotic behavior whether it was at work, on t.v., or even in the household. He had to stomach so much rubbish at _Element Endurance_ it was no wonder he was worn out and at his limits the moment he stepped through the front doors. Though once he gazed into his son's and wife's big brown warm eyes his mild complaints about work ceased to exist all the more. He had a constant reminder about why he got up every day and fought his hardest.

Thinking about all her husband had said and her own thoughts on the matter as well, Delia bit down on her lip. "Maybe it's best if..." she started to suggest, clasping her eyes shut for a very brief moment. "If we just stay away from them for a while."

"Oh, like running away?"

"Well what do you propose, Jay?!" she cried, reaching her breaking point. She was trying to compromise, trying to see his way and looking for a solution, but all Jay could do was turn their last resort down. "Honestly, I throw out one idea and it's the wrong solution!"

With another heavy sigh, Delia intentionally kept her gaze away from her husband and soon Jay felt the truck journey on faster. His jab led his wife to press harder on the pedal, moving along at a steady, but speedier rate. It was her way of unleashing her frustration.

Jay knew she meant well, after all Delia never enjoyed partaking in confrontation and always made an attempt at fixing the issue- or at least like Jay said, running away from it till people were less tense.

He stared at her as a moment of silence passed, then placed a hand on her knee. "Babe, don't get mad." His voice was returning back to that loving tone Delia longed to hear daily, though her hard eyes didn't meet his. "You have great ideas. Believe me, I'd love time away from Annie and Chad but it's never going to work. They're too integrated in our family, in the town for that matter."

Speaking of town, the Ketchums entered upon the town corridors. Jay felt a breath of relief flush out of his body as he saw the welcome to Pallet sign past them. Finally, he could head home, throw off his work clothes, take a nice long hot shower, and plop on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and a beer, while watching Pokémon League battles with Ash. That was Jay's vision of relaxing evening. His late night desire however would not occur on schedule as he hoped.

Abruptly, Delia swiveled into a lineup of cars by some of the town buildings, tensing Jay up with wonder. "Hey, why did you pull over?"

"Because we have a town meeting," she answered plainly, parking the truck and shutting it off.

Jay watched her with confusion as she tossed the keys into her purse. "But it's Friday. They're usually held on Saturday-"

"I know, but Tom wanted to call this meeting ahead of time," Delia sighed heavily, undoing her seat belt. "He said it's very important and that we should all attend."

"When are they not important?" Immediately, Jay flung his head back, rolling over to gaze out the window. An aching reminder of who would be in there jolted through his memory, as he stared at the parked dark blue car beside them. The Oaks must have gotten their faster than them since they had spent extra minutes tucking Jay's motorcycle in the bed of the truck.

"Aggh," he groaned. "I don't want to go in there..."

Annie was required to attend every town meeting due to the fact that she was one of the five members on the board, which meant they'd be face to face once more. And though the discussion had ended for the time being, it was still uncomfortable for Jay to go in that cramped building and have to see his sister.

Delia coaxed him out of the truck as she opened her door. "Jay, c'mon."

Begrudgingly, he unbuckled his seat belt and threw the strap to the side, stepping out of the vehicle the same time his wife did. From there, the couple joined hands and strutted into the building, and as Jay opened the creaky door, their heads peaked in far enough to see the gathering had already begun.

Closing the squeaky door and quietly as possible, Delia spotted her father in the middle of the cluster of townsfolk. The top of his head had almost become a land mark thanks to loss of hair. It was a fairly small amount, premature. Still, the farmer was becoming paranoid by his loss of locks, and was starting to fixate on it daily, that is what Leah had told their daughter.

Squeezing through the small aisle (which had two large groups of chairs on each side), Jay knelt down slightly to whisper in his wife's ear. She hoped he wasn't about to cause a disruption.

"It's our favorite people again," he hissed facetiously, eyeing Chad in the crowd then to Annie up on the platform. "What a coincidence! Small world we live in-"

"Jay!"

They didn't even get close to Ernest. By the stares they were receiving from surrounding people, Tom, the head of the counsel, caught sight of their little intrusion, stopping them in their tracks.

"You're late," he said with a disapproving tone, standing behind his prized podium.

As the couple halted, Jay shot a gaze up at the old coot. "Some of us have real jobs, Tom."

Tom drew back, for Jay's snarky remark hit a sore spot. "Leah," he started perturbed, turning to the inn keeper, whom, was seated amongst her fellow members, "are you going to allow your son-in-law to speak to me in such a fashion?"

Mrs. Parker opened her mouth only to have Greta, the owner of the local store in town, answer for her. She was a tough old lady, and handled Tom's behavior like a mother with a whiny child.

"What do you want her to do, Tom?" the store owner asked incredulously, stroking her Meowth's back. "Send him to bed without dinner? Here, I'll take care of it. Bad, Jay!" she exclaimed sarcastically as she turned to the raven-haired man. "Shame on you for being late!"

The man had once worked for Greta when he was teen, stacking shelves, running the register, and even watering her inside plant she kept in her private office, as well as feeding her Meowth who liked to roam around the store, jumping from shelf to shelf. She had always favored Jay since he proved himself to be an above average employee to her for a year and a half, so bailing him out of being late was the least she could do for the hard working guy.

Jay smirked. "Thanks Greta, for publicly punishing me."

"Anytime!"

"Greta this is serious!" Tom fussed impatiently. "We cannot have people barging in late, thinking they can just drop by whenever they feel it is convenient for them! I propose we lock the doors exactly when we start the meeting."

Great, another pointless vote to endure.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me," Jay concurred with a wide grin. "All the more reason to turn around and head on home. Wouldn't you agree, dearest?"

Delia's head snapped up at him, arching an eyebrow of annoyance. "Keep pushing it and you will go to bed without dinner."

Strutting forward once more, Delia abandoned her husband in the tight aisle having his squirm by just to keep up with her pace. Then, Tom focused back on the importance of the meeting, trying to shrug off the Ketchums' late entrance. "Now besides the upcoming bake sale, which we will take a vote on at the end of the meeting, I'd like to discuss our summer festival-"

"Tom, it's only the beginning of June!" a random townsfolk exclaimed from the crowd.

"Yeah, we don't start the festival till July!" another one followed.

"As the head coordinator I am aware of that, people. But I would like us to decide which activities to keep and ones we should replace," Tom explained. "Now I thought the water slide last year brought in a huge crowd, however it did cost us a very pretty penny and I for one..."

By this time, Delia managed to trail down one of the middle rows standing beside her seated father, who was so engrossed with the meeting to not notice her presence. That or he was drooling over the batch of cookies and refreshments in the corner.

"Hey, Dad," Delia called softly as she hunched for the line of people behind her to see. When that didn't get her father's attention, the woman gave him a gentle nudge, finally having him swivel his head at her. "Dad, where's Ash?"

Ernest released a couple of blinks as he recollected his memory. "Oh, he's with Michelle back at the house."

"I thought you were going to watch him?"

"I was, till Michelle said she didn't want to go, and someone had to come here with your mom anyway." He produced a huff, rolling his eyes then lingered them over at babbling Tom. "Lucky me..."

Ernest Parker wasn't a big fan of the weekly town gatherings nor was he a number one supporter of Tom. As far back as Delia could remember, she recalled her dad always complaining about how ludicrous and mind boggling the meetings were. Seeing such idiocy on taking votes on such ridiculous affairs, town regulations and whatnot, Ernest insisted Leah retired her post on the council, though being a member had its perks, such as drawing in business for their small inn. The only good that ever came of them in the farmer's opinion.

"Why didn't she want to come?" asked Delia, still whispering.

"Tom's trying to recruit her for a bake sale next week, but she's in over her head at the inn, and she doesn't have the energy to turn him down. I told her he'd just nominate her anyway and take a vote."

Delia frowned at her dad's explanation. "Well that's not fair." It certainly sounded like something Tom would try. After all, Michelle was the head chef at her mother's inn, so it was only natural he'd hammer her to sign up till her head ached from his voice ringing in her ears.

"No it ain't," he agreed passionately. "So if he asks, don't vote for her..." Then he paused, a look of ponder took over his face as Delia watched him carefully. He confessed, "But I do like her cinnamon swirl sticky-buns-"

"_Dad_."

Ernest had difficulty resisting the temptation of sweets._ Especially_ homemade ones. "I know, I know," he sighed, then casually added, "I'll just nominate you."

Delia's eyes widened with a hiss. "Dad!"

"I'm just joking," he chuckled. From there, Ernest spotted Jay's tall stature rise past his daughter's height, frowning with a glum look at his presence. "What you do want?"

"Hi to you too."

The moment Jayce Ketchum stepped into the Parker's residence, the farmer developed a sincere dislike for the boy- now the husband of her daughter. The man had always been the overprotective type, but finding his daughter bringing a boy home for the first time, a Ketchum boy to be precise, was certainly alarming. Even through the course of getting to know one another, Ernest refused to like Jay, even when he tried so desperately to get along with the old gruff; he still made life a living hell for him. Yet, he secretly had to admit the boy sure put up with a lot of torment for his little girl. That if anything said something. So if Ernest had one kind thing to say about Jay, he supposed it'd be that he genuinely loved Delia. Though, the farmer could do without his smart mouth.

Immediately, Ernest showed Delia an empty seat he had saved for her and so she thanked him with a nod and settled down. On the other side, he had placed his rusty tool box leading Jay to believe he had snagged a seat for him too. Or so he thought.

As the man bent down to remove the box of equipment, Ernest whacked Jay's hand away and followed through with a harsh whisper. "H-hey, hey! This ain't your seat!"

Jay lowered his eyebrows with an unbelievable look. "But it's empty."

He should have figured this sort of thing would happen.

"Can't ya see I have my tools sitting here?" Ernest responded sharply, gesturing towards the box. Yes that old worn down tool box, was certainly more worthy of earning a seat than a man who worked long excruciating hours.

"Yes I can," his son-in-law retorted with a hint of irritation, "and I don't think I'll hurt their feelings if I move them on the floor."

Grasping the sides of the box, Jay only lifted it an inch off the chair before Ernest shoved it back down in its spot. "Don't you touch my tool box!" he hissed viciously, his eyebrows seeping closer together.

Delia soon leaned forward and watched the scene unfold, glaring at her dad's inexcusable behavior.

Finally, Jay snapped and unleashed his smart mouth that Ernest detested so much. "Ooo, dirty!"

Then, Ernest lost control of his temper. "Go find a seat somewhere else ya smart-ass!" he hollered, his whispering creeping up for people close by to hear. "And take your dirty jokes with you!"

Jay let out an exhausted sig h, rubbing his temple. He didn't need his father-in-law's uncooperativeness now. His feet were sore, his tie felt like it was tightening with every refusal Ernest gave, and overall the poor guy was drowning with fatigued . "Ernest please," he begged, his eyes closed then flashed back open. "I've had a long day. Can you just pretend to tolerate me enough to give me a seat?"

There was no hesitation in his voice and his stern expression wasn't helping the situation either. "No, I might have if ya didn't slip in that dirty comment. And it's Mr. Parker to you."

Growing tired of her father's overgrown fuss, Delia finally corrected Ernest's behavior and spared her love from any further confrontation. Or at least she tried. "Daddy, you're being completely unreasonable!" Ernest's soft scoff forced his daughter go to drastic matters to make her point clear. A threat of some sort. "If you won't give Jay a seat then I'm standing in the back with him-"

The old man whipped his head around at her, leaving Jay still standing there awkwardly. "Delia-"

"People, is there a problem that is much more important to address than our annual summer festival?"

All three of their faces slowly lifted up to find Tom glaring at them, his fingers tapping the sides of the podium, one of his brows arched high with displeasure. They had disrupted the peace all because of a damn tool box.

"No, Tom," Ernest swiftly answered for them. "Go back to babbling."

"And I can see this interruption is caused by the same people as beforehand." Producing a sigh, the head of the council threw his hands up in the air. This certainly wasn't Tom's night. "All right, what is it? What could possibly be more significant than the town's own event?"

Before Ernest could get another word in that would cause a bigger disruption, Jay played the role of the adult, and handled the situation as calmly as he could. "Tom, I'm sorry that we were late and we would sit and suffer through your mind-numbing rambling, but Ernest insists his box of tools he conveniently has with him, deserves a seat over _me, _who has been on my feet all day leading meetings and handling paper work! So go ahead, sue me for disrupting a very riveting discussion!"

Sadly, Jay's answer only brought more unwelcomed turmoil.

"You're being a tad dramatic."

The raven-haired man's mouth gaped . "_I'm_ dramatic? You're the one who acts like the apocalypse is coming if a freakin' booth forgot to supply an extra set of cheap toys at the festival!"

That was bit harsh on Jay's behalf and soon the head chairman took it very offensively. An unwanted argument spewing off for everyone to observe. At least they had drinks and snacks to make the entertainment for the evening all the more desirable to watch.

"I'll have you know those aren't cheap to supply!" Tom responded with a wave of his index finger. "Especially the hula-dancers! We get them all the way from Seafoam Island-"

"I think we should wrap this meeting up."

In an instant, Tom's eyes darted at Leah who gave him an urged look to call it a night. He couldn't believe she'd declare such a thing, seeing the topic of the summer festival was such a dire event to hold a meeting over.

With his mouth agape and his throat dry, Tom managed to sputter, "But Leah-"

"What do you say, Annie?" Leah asked casually to the members, ignoring the fretted man. "Greta, Hank? Think we've had enough for tonight?"

"But we haven't taken a vote yet-"

"I concur, meeting adjourned!"

And with a bang of Tom's gavel hitting the podium at the hand of Greta, everyone in the building hustled either to the door to meet the chilly evening air or the corner where the remains of the refreshments laid.

Still lost for words at how fast his meeting had reached its end, Tom turned to the short old lady and snatched the gavel out of her hands. "Greta, you cannot just use my gavel like that..."

Hunkering his aching back down as he rose to his knees, Ernest let a mumble of relief escape from his mouth. "Thank God..."

Soon after, the old man pushed through the tight crowd and stumbled outside followed by his fuming daughter and drained son-in-law. She eventually caught up with him after pushing past a few people, and soon Delia stood directly in front of the man and placed her hands firmly on her hips. She wasn't going to let him get away that easily. "Dad, why did you do that?"

"So we could get out of there," he answered as if it was obvious. Then he shockingly turned to Jay, and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "Nice work Ketchum, you may not make a good farmer, but you make a damn good debater. And someone who can really get under Tom's skin!"

Jay's droopy eyes glared softly at his chortling father-in-law. At least he found the amusement within the chaos. "No problem. I enjoyed using my tired feet as an excuse to help bail you out of a meeting which was going to end in ten minutes anyway."

Delia shook her head in disapproval. Same old Ernest. "Dad, I swear sometimes you-"

"Honey!" a voice called out in the distance. "I'm glad you made it."

Glancing behind her shoulder, the once agitated woman beamed a small smile at Leah. Finally, some intervention. "Oh- hi, Mom. Your husband has been very mischievous tonight," Delia added wittily, folding her arms.

Leah laughed softly and cocked a grin as she approached them. "I knew that when I married him."

Ernest then gave a wink, goose bumps bubbling to the surface of Delia's skin as she waited for him to throw out an unwelcoming remark. "One of the reasons why she was attracted to me-"

"Eww, Dad!"

Delia's mother couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's discomfort, then, she turned to Jay, finally acknowledging him. "Hi, Jay. I'm sorry for Ernest's behavior."

An apology from her was better than Ernest's halfhearted attempt at one. "I know he's a hard one to wrangle," Jay replied with a toothy grin. "It looked like you had your fill for the evening anyway. Still, it was a shame it was cut short."

"Yes well, talking about the summer festival never gets old. Though I am glad Tom didn't get to take a vote. Poor Michelle has been hiding from him all day!"

The mention of Michelle reminded Delia of Ash. She was certain Ash was growing impatient of awaiting h er and Jay's arrival, and assumed it would be wise to free the middle aged chef of the lively, energetic six year old who would be fussing about not wanting to head off for his bedtime fairly soon.

"Well, I think it's best if we reprieve her from Ash now," Delia acknowledged openly. "I'm sure she's getting-"

"Mommy!"

And there he was. Bounding down the uneven dirt road in the start of night falling came little waddling Ash with his light jacket buttoned up to his chin. Immediately, Delia fell to her knees and scooped her son up in a big hug, kissing the knots of his hair. "H-hey pumpkin!" she then stood up and pulled back to gaze at him, brushing his dark bangs away from his forehead. "You came to see me?"

"Yep and Daddy!"

Both of Ash's parents smiled widely at their son's heartwarming answer, though their smiles dissipated at the sight of Michelle jogging to the group, panting heavily. Though that wasn't the strangest part.

"Oh, I see you and Michelle were having fun on your way down here," Delia added, gazing oddly at her friend. The woman's hands were stuffed away in what appeared to be sock-puppets resembling the looks of a Snorlax and Wigglytuff. Apparently, she had been entertaining the boy with tales through the use of puppetry.

"Hmhm!" Ash nodded. "We were playing theater!"

"Just having a little adventure with the sock-puppets," Michelle retold through heavy breaths between her big smiles. "We even were a traveling company down the road for short amount of time!" she joked lightheartedly, waving her hands up to showcase the actors of the night.

However, the lighthearted humor of it all dampened quickly at the sound of Ernest's hollering and the stomping of his feet. "Michelle, what are you doing down here?! You were beggin' not to come to the meeting and yet hear ya are! You gave me no choice but attend-"

"Oh hush, Ernest," she ordered swiftly, poking one of her sock-puppet covered hands onto his chest. "The only reason I came down here is because your grandson was begging to see his mom. Kind of like me begging to have the duty of watching Ash for the night, while you go and support your wife."

"You know what it's like to undergo the nonsense Tom forces us to endure! It's absolutely excruciating!" Ernest cried back. "And I for one won't save your hide again after this little stunt you pulled..."

Letting the adult with the sock puppets on her hands and the other adult who complained more than the actual child present talk the matter out, the others started their own conversation. And little Ash was the first to speak up.

"Dad?"

Jay looked at his son. "Hmm?"

"Why does Grandpa cause trouble?" he asked with blinking eyes.

Ash's dad smiled faintly at his son's innocent question. "I ask myself that question every day." From there, the man peered over at the arguing adults finding no conflict to be resolved which led him to the decision of taking Ash away, before his grandpa threw out words not for the boy's virgin ears. "Ya wanna take a walk kiddo while they sort this out?" Jay offered.

"I think that would be best," Delia swiftly answered for their child.

Ash gazed at his mother than at his dad. "Is Mom coming?"

"I'll be with you shortly, Ash," his mother assured sweetly, planting another kiss on his forehead before handing him off to his father. "Just go with your dad," she went on, placing the boy in her husband's secure grasp, "and I'll meet you back up at the house. And don't worry about the truck, Jay. I'll drive it home."

He nodded to confirm her decision, said goodnight to Leah, and then strutted off down the road. Ash clung to his dad's shoulder like a clingy baby Kangaskhan to its mother and soon buried his little face in the man's leather jacket. Delia smiled happily at the sight of her son so comfortably sheltered in her lover's arms, and the touching scene helped block out the loud yelling that graced the land of Pallet.

"Why are you even upset about this?!" Michelle asked with befuddlement. "The meeting is over!"

Ernest had not called it quits, not yet, and was determined to expression his distress. "Because Tom might catch ya, and then my time in that stuffy building will have been even more of waste than I thought! You should be thankful I didn't vote for ya-"

"Oh, Michelle!"

A chill ran up Ernest's spine. Then the natural reflect of a cringe followed. Turning his head slowly, Ernest was overwhelmed by the presences of his least favorite person in Pallet, waltzing over to the feuding pair. The farmer looked back at the frozen chef, urging her to run while she still could through the twitching of his eyebrow.

"I'm so happy to see you came," Tom exclaimed as he came closer to them, "even though you are a tad late-"

"Ah, for God's sake!" with a whip of his head, Ernest stood directly between the hunkered down Michelle and the overbearing Tom, straightening the matter out. No way was he going to let his precious time be wasted at the hands of Tom, not after he had to sit through that excruciating assembly. "No one cares about your damn bake sale, Tom!" Then, a groan slipped from his throat as he screeched suddenly, "Dammit, Leah! Help me will ya?!"

The cry of Ernest's classic line pricked the ears of his wife and daughter, though both still stood with their backs turned. Some things never changed.

Ignoring her husband's pathetic cry for her assistance, Leah tucked her arms tightly to her sides, toasting her chilled hands with the touch of her turtleneck sweater. A radiant grin spread across her lips as she too watched Jay talk to Ash and soon delicately secured the boy up on his shoulders, letting Ash get a better look of the night sky above.

The woman nudged her daughter gently, gesturing to Jay with a slight movement of her head. "I'm glad he stumbled into our inn."

Leah wasn't the only one. Delia could still remember the day she laid eyes on the boy she called her first real friend, her first and only love. It happened during the season of summer. A bright and cheery day it was, she recalled catching a glimpse of Jay strutting into her mother's inn to buy a potion for his Vulpix and in the process of her restacking the shelves, the item he requested for slipped from her grasp and soon collided with his feet. Delia had not, no, could not forget the touch of his hand in hers as they both dove for the potion, and the way he looked at her- his icy blue eyes staring deep into her soul brought a feeling she never knew existed.

Tucking a loose strand behind her ear, Delia fluttered her eyelashes with a content smile. "Me too."

She couldn't describe the sensational feeling that was soaring through her body as she watched her husband walk along the road with Ash's legs tucked safely around Jay's neck as well as, hearing their son's faint laughs brighten the darkening sky. It was moments like these Delia understood why she was such a lucky woman. Though, she could have done without her father's hollering in the background.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Okay, let me start off by saying chapter five will definitely start making things move much faster. I had to get this foundation of their problems established before moving forward to even bigger topics residing in the story. Also, you will be seeing the development between Ash and Jay's relationship take of soon.

Anyway, I've been developing this habit of making my chapter's extra-long than the usual amount of like eight to nine thousand words. I hope you guys don't mind these long additions! They just keep flowing out to this length, but I hope maybe the next one won't be nearly as long for my own welfare of tiredness. lol. But I have been enjoying writing this story greatly, and I hope my readers have enjoyed reading it too.

So like I said before, chapter five will move much quicker than the last four. The question now is: will Jay get his promotion? And will this little summer adventure out of Pallet do some good for the whole family? Well you'll have to wait and see! Thanks for reading and as usual, reviews are always appreciated! :)


End file.
